One NHS trust in west London reported a 140% rise in referrals to its children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
The combination of the pandemic and social media demands is causing an increase in mental health issues, like eating disorders, among adolescents.
One NHS trust in west London reported a 140% rise in referrals to its children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).
Lizzie, a former patient of the West London NHS Trust, struggled with anxiety and despair at the age of 12 and developed anorexia in her teens.
She stated, “I recall being frequently alone at school. I’ve always been gregarious. When I first began experiencing these symptoms, I recall sitting alone frequently. I am eating lunch alone and withdrawing from activities I once enjoyed.”
Lizzie, who is now studying to become a doctor, stated that neither her family nor her professors noticed her increasingly distant behavior.
Lizzie’s anorexia was so severe by the time she aged 15 that she was taken to a mental unit for 10 weeks of life-saving treatment. Lizzie then realized for the first time how unwell she was.
She stated, “Up until that time, I had been operating effectively. I was at school, I was still an excellent student, and neither my friends nor anyone else knew, so I was functioning.
“When I stepped in with my parents, the first person I saw had a big head wound caused by head bashing. So, that was the first time I’d seen it, and I was somewhat surprised.
“Then, I recall another patient who had extensive arm lacerations, causing alarms to sound and people to be held back. And that was just so upsetting. I recall spending my first night in the hospital and eating my first meal there.”
She went on: “I recall it being sausages and mashed potatoes, which I hadn’t eaten in around four years. And then, for dessert, we had cake, which I recall eating while somehow feeling very proud of myself. However, later that evening, when I contacted my parents to ask them to please come and get me, I remember crying and begging them to save me.
“I was filled with terror. There is no room for doubt. That night, when I contacted my parents, was the very lowest point of my life.”
Over one million Brits suffer from an eating disorder.
An estimated 1.25 million people in the United Kingdom suffer from an eating disorder, which claims more lives than any other psychiatric ailment.
A new report from the Health and Social Care Committee of the House of Commons calls for more to be done to regulate the manipulation of “commercial images,” such as changing body proportions or skin tone so that they are required to bear a logo alerting viewers that they have been digitally altered.
In addition, the committee desires further regulations for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as Botox injections, including a licensing structure for providers, minimum training criteria, and a cooling-off time between consent and the actual procedure.
Since 2017, the number of children and adolescents in England with probable eating issues has climbed dramatically, from 6.7% to 13% in the 11 to 16-year-old age group and from 44.6 to 58.2% in the 17 to 19-year-old age group.
The NHS saw an 83 percent increase in demand for urgent eating disorder services and a 41 percent increase in demand for routine eating disorder care in 2020/21.
Moreover, between April and October of 2021, there were 4,238 hospitalizations for eating disorders in children younger than 17 years old, a 41 percent increase compared to the same time the previous year.
It is the busiest I’ve ever seen in my whole career.
Dr. Derek Tracy, the medical director of the West London NHS Trust, states that he has never witnessed such a high demand for mental health treatment.
He said: “It’s as busy as I’ve ever seen in my career. Nationally, we are unquestionably in a different position than we were roughly three years ago. The numbers are increasing across all age groups and presenting types.
“I mean, the pandemic is the obvious thing to consider. I am aware that it is a likely suspect, but it appears to be driving much of this. You can consider everything associated with the epidemic.
“There is increased isolation; nonetheless, working from home is beneficial for some individuals. It is not intended for others. And I believe that our way of life has changed, and it’s a tense moment; individuals will have family who is unwell, perhaps with COVID, or who have suffered from it themselves.
These factors appear to have coalesced into a perfect storm, causing mental health concerns.
He added: “There is currently worry around social media, its role, how individuals perceive themselves, and how they interact with the world. There, in this area of London, throughout the regions, and nationally, the population is increasing.”
