UAE: Mental health issues on the rise among youngsters in post-Covid era; females most affected

UAE: Mental health issues on the rise among youngsters in post-Covid era; females most affected

Experts say more women have come in with mental health issues, compared to male patients, but this could be because in general males tend to avoid seeking help

Published: Tue 6 Dec 2022, 5:44 PM

Mental health issues among adolescents and youth have seen a significant spike after Covid, experts say, with females being most affected.

Doctors at the 25th World Congress of IACAPAP 2022 in Dubai, said that with life returning to normal, the topic of mental health in a post-Covid world is gaining prominence, with one in eight children across the world grappling with an apparent mental health disorder.

“Mental health, especially among children is an extremely important topic, given the fact that vast majority of mental disorders start during childhood or youth in the county," said Dr Ammar Albanna, chair of the Congress, president of the Emirates Child Mental Health Society, and Head of Mental Health Centre of Excellence at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.

"Especially post Covid many are experiencing a surge in mental health conditions or mental disorders. This is happening across the world.”

He said that the world needs to to think innovatively and improve the systems of care to meet the demand and provide the best care for affected