Everyone's lives changed completely in 2020. Suddenly we had to stay at home. We couldn't go to work or school because everything was done remotely.

We saw our co-workers through the screens of our laptops, and shopping was the only human contact we could have. And that was only as long as the safety rules were followed, i.e. a mask over the mouth and nose, disposable gloves, hand disinfection and at least half a meter distance from the next person.

Isolation, fear and helplessness have had a particular effect on our mental health. One day we hang out with our friends without restraint, and the next one we find out that thousands of people are dying and we have to stay at home for safety.

Psychologists have commented on the mental situation of Poles in 2023. They have no doubt that the lockdown has significantly affected our mental health. Specialists also confirm that the youngest have suffered most profoundly.

According to a survey conducted by the Public Opinion Research Center, the number of people (aged 18-24) who suffered from depressive states, feelings of helplessness, as well as discouragement and weariness has reached its highest level over the past two decades in the face of the pandemic.

Experts say this was primarily influenced by the inability to meet basic needs related to a sense of security and belonging. At the same time, they recommend that during the post-pandemic period, mental health should be taken care of first. This could be through relaxation, meditation or positive psychology.

An opinion poll was conducted in 2021. The results showed that the group most affected by depressive states, feelings of helplessness, discouragement and fatigue were people age 18-24. .These are the worst results since 2019.

Similar conclusions can be drawn from UNICEF's 2020 report.

"27% of people suffered from anxiety, 15 % felt depressed in the last seven days, and 46% were discouraged from doing things they had actually enjoyed doing before," says Anastazja Mołodecka, a psychologist at the Center for Youth Research at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, in an interview with the Newseria Biznes agency.

Similar studies were conducted during the pandemic among students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow. Here are the results:

• 64% of respondents were tired;
• 62% had symptoms of mental exhaustion
• 59% felt less motivated to learn
• 56% did not rest even during weekends

Young people were most likely to have trouble complying with epidemic restrictions, according to the study. Psychologists explain the this fact by citing Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

In an interview with Newseria Business Agency, Anastazja Mołodecka stresses that physiological needs are the most important for each of us. During the pandemic, however, basic needs were not met.

"Suddenly people were afraid of whether they would have a job, whether they would be able to pay for basic things like food. You could see people buying up basic products in stores," the psychologist added.

Mołodecka also claims that the sense of security was most shaken. People feared for their own lives and those of their loved ones. We didn't know if there would be a cure and, whether there would be vaccinations, especially at the beginning of the pandemic.

A sense of belongingis yet another need in Maslow's pyramid. we look for a place in a group of peers where we can belong, says the psychologist in the portal interview, We are deprived of the feeling that we belong to something, the moment we can't leave the house and when all our activities happen online.

In order to explain the impact the pandemic has had on young people, psychologists cite Erikson's theory of social development.

According to this theory, at each of the eight stages of life, a man must overcome a crisis. This will allow him to adapt to social demands, as well as satisfy their needs. When we resolve a conflict at a certain stage, we acquire skills that become important for coping in life.

During adolescence (around 8-12 years old) there is a conflict of "hardworking vs. feeling inferior." Children at this point learn efficiency, get out of their comfort zone, test themselves. When there is COVID-19 and we are at home, we don't have the opportunity to test what we are already capable of," Anastazja Mołodecka explains.

Between the ages of 13 and 22 we have an identity conflict, psychologist says. During this period we get to know who we really are. We recognize that we are different from our family, and we meet new people. During the first wave of the pandemic and the lockdown we stayed only with our family. At that time, we were not aware of our need and we didn't have a peer group to relate to.

The researchers stress that the trends observed in young Poles were also occurring abroad. In the Netherlands, young people began a series of protests against the imposition of a curfew.

Young people had tremendous problems following these restrictions, and that is fully understandable. Adolescence is a period of rebellion, so the restrictions combined with the inability to fulfill basic developmental needs made young people's mental health more vulnerable to deterioration, Mołodecka claims.

Doctors remind us all the time that mental health affects every sphere of our lives. For this reason, it is important to treat any illness of a mental nature, just as we treat physical illnesses.

Experts most often recommend relaxation techniques, including:

Positive psychology can also play a huge role in therapy.

This is an area of psychology that scientifically studies our sense of happiness, what influences it, and how we can change it. It has been studied that 50 % of our happiness depends on genes, which is something that we have absolutely no control over and cannot change. 10 % depends on events that happen, that is, very little in total, and 40% is our daily life, regular activities, these are the things that we can control and change, try to introduce new habits- Mołodecka says.

As the psychologist from the Pedagogical University stresses, it is very important for adults to recognize young people's needs and moods. It is vital to ask how they feel and what they need. One can also suggest spending time together.