THE NEWS: A SOURCE OF WORRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OR NOT?

THE NEWS: A SOURCE OF WORRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OR NOT?

AN INTERVIEW WITH MANON LAVOIE

We live in an era where even adults can be shaken by the news. Just in the last few months, words such as “pandemic”, “threat of World War III” and “inflation” have been heard repeatedly in news reports. Are these problems key concerns for young people? What news events contribute to their sense of insecurity or anxiety about the future?

The news event that has most shaken them is certainly the pandemic, replies Manon Lavoie.

With a B.A. in Social Work and over 25 years of experience in school social work, she has seen a dramatic rise in anxiety among her clientele.

Five years ago, about a quarter of our interventions had to do with anxiety. Today, I’d say it’s about three quarters, the vast majority of which are a direct result of the pandemic.

The consequences observed seem to vary depending on age. The younger ones, having been with their parents during the lockdown, now seem to be experiencing separation anxiety at school. For teens, performance anxiety is the issue.

Because of the pandemic, the academic credentials needed to progress to the next grade level have not been attained. Many teens are now failing. Those at the end of adolescence feel insecure about the events marking the transition to adulthood; the job market or their career choice has become less probable due to their low marks. 

Media and anxiety

Apart from the pandemic, can the other bad news conveyed by the media make young people more anxious? Maybe! But often, it’s not the news itself as much as its closeness that can create problems.

For young people, sources of anxiety can differ, first from one person to the next, but also from one situation or one place to another. For example, outside the major urban centres, we’ve noticed that most young people don’t talk much about the current war in Ukraine. But for young people living in cosmopolitan cities who have daily contact with newcomers, it might be quite different. But I’m sure that if a young war refugee were to arrive at one of our schools here in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, many students would also feel concerned.  

In fact, it is important to note that the main sources of anxiety are generally found in the immediate environment of the young person. No need to go looking as far as a war in Europe to find many other factors of anxiety. They are often literally right in front of our noses, simply part of our everyday lives. Say, for example, that we looked at an expression as mundane as “Hurry up!”, and gave it a bit more consideration:

  • What exactly is it that is really so urgent?
  • Is the stress that words like this give rise to really necessary?

I don’t know many teens who are completely indifferent to the important events that are occurring around the globe, but they aren’t necessarily a big source of stress for them. What stresses me is always being pressured to do things. -Malika, age 15

An opportunity to mature

But is it possible that some teens, for whom checking the news is second nature, might be negatively impacted by it? And if this leads to anxiety, should they be outright forbidden to watch TV or use their computer?

The best way to help them would be to replace overexposure to images in the news by an honest discussion of what is going on in the world to help them become thoughtful, responsible adults, answered Lavoie.

Because even across these extremes, parents might be able to help their children learn values, empathy and awareness.

Difficult situations are great opportunities for drawing a parallel between the material world and what truly defines human beings. We can show them that in a war, even though many people have lost all their material possessions, they still haven’t lost their courage. Or remind them that at the height of the pandemic, the most important thing wasn’t to buy the latest model of cell phone, but to one day see friends and go back to school. Teens can and must understand that human beings are fragile and that it is important to be concerned about others. The goal here isn’t to generate anxiety, but rather to be able to help them mature.

At school, the teachers discuss the news with us. It helps put things into perspective. Michael, age 14

For parents who find images in the media too brutal, it is possible to steer their child towards more suitable sources of news. The MAJ section of the Radio-Canada website is one example among many. It takes a dynamic, simplified approach to the news, even injecting a dose of humour when the subject matter allows. Adults can also download certain games dealing with the news to explore as a family or in class.

Focus on the young person’s strengths

However, one thing is certain: whether the anxiety occurs because of an oral presentation, a first heartbreak, an uncertain career plan or the atrocities of a war in another land, the pain is always intense for the person experiencing it. It is sometimes so incapacitating that medication is needed.

The first thing I say to a young person who comes into my office is that if someone claims to be able to cure their anxiety, they are lying. However, they can control it. -Manon Lavoie

Regardless of the situation, it’s important to focus on the young person’s strengths. They have to learn to know themselves well enough to come up with solutions based on what they already possess inside themselves:

  • A high level of sensitivity? Great! It can help them be empathetic.
  • A keen intellect? It means they can use their thinking-outside-the-box skills to manage to calm down.

The goal being, of course, that they regain full control over their anxiety.

Because the opposite should never be an option.

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