The COVID pandemic was a tough time for everyone. However, a new study has revealed that people between the ages of 18-24, the population forming what we now know as Gen Z, endured detrimental effects on their mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Study Findings
The study conducted by India's Krea University's Sapien Labs Centre for Human Brain and Mind assessed the mental health of young people who primarily speak English and often use the internet. Collecting data from 1,06,427 people between April 2020 and August 2023, the study found that the mental health of Indians between the age of 18-74 years declined from 2020 to 2023. However, these results were the most dire among people in the 18-24 age range.
The COVID pandemic brought along unemployment, isolation, and internet bingeing, which the researchers concluded were significant contributors towards poor mental health. Interestingly, these findings did not link economic factors to mental health issues.
The study found that among the 18-24-year-olds, the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala projected better mental health outcomes than the Northern states.
Mental Health Of Gen Z
Commenting on the findings, Shailender Swaminathan, Director, Sapien Labs Centre for the Human Brain and Mind, said, "Across states in India, we find that youth, considered the 'Demographic Dividend' for India, are in increasing distress post-Covid. The current policy paradigm seeks to manage and treat mental health ailments through access to psychosocial support and crisis interventions. Given the sheer scale and complexity of the problem, a more preventative approach may be necessary."
One suggestive outcome revealed by the study stated that evidence proves that delaying the use of smartphones can actually improve the mental health of people, especially the Gen Z population.
In conclusion, the study holds significance in terms that it underscores the need to identify early risk factors to establish prevention measures for India's youth. The study highlighted how such mental health detriments can make it difficult for Gen Z to enter the labour market, even if they are educated, English-speaking, and Internet-enabled. This is crucial because the Indian Gen Z population assumes more than 200 million of the country's population. Given the scale of the problem, the study suggests that a preventive approach can work wonders to solve this magnanimous public health concern.