By : Catherine Pearson
Source : Huff Post

When the COVID-19 pandemic first shuttered schools nationwide last spring, many teenagers were ecstatic. They could sleep in. Wear pajamas all day. Spend hours on social media.

“At first, it was this cool thing,” said a 17-year-old in a new report co-written by The California Partners Project and The Child Mind Institute, which explores how teenagers are navigating their new normal during COVID-19.

Months later, the novelty has worn off and teenagers are suffering. Interviews and diary entries from nearly 50 California teenagers reveal that they’re sleeping and exercising less and spending more time on social media and gaming.

The report paints a troubling picture of adolescents experiencing a profound sense of loss and grief amid school closures and lockdowns who are turning to technology and social media as a “constant sedative,” its authors say.

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