ADOLESCENT CHOICES
It’s easy to imagine that COVID and post-COVID life for children, especially adolescents, might be exponentially more complex compared to pre-COVID times. I believe that will be the case; however, if one looks back in time, it may be surprising to discover that, for example, in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, it wasn’t unusual for children to assume adult responsibilities including marriage at 10 to 12 years of age. True, one’s lifespan back then was proportionately shorter, maybe 35 to 40 years for males and less for females due to the dangers of childbirth. So, while yes, I suspect it may seem as if mere children are being tasked with running our complex world at an ever tender age, it may, in fact, be a reflexive “returning to our roots” when society is stressed. And stressed it is.
Psychologically, I think I’m not out of line to say almost everyone today in our Trumpean, COVID world is chronically stressed, with all the expected accoutrements: fatigue; difficulty concentrating (or an inability to do so); rapid, disorganized thoughts; irritability (which can be extreme); impulsiveness; difficulty sleeping, digestive problems, changes in appetite, increased blood pressure (and its effects), increased diabetes (and its effects), decreased immune response and increased vulnerability to malnutrition, disease and infection.
So how do people, especially teens who see their childhood and innocence disappearing, cope? First, know the complications of chronic stress mentioned about; avoid stressful situations as much as possible and prepare for those that are unavoidable; meditate; deep breath when feeling stressed; set personal limits and stick to them; get at least 8 hours of sleep a night; avoid multi-tasking and complete one task at a time; enjoy pro-creation; socialize and exercise daily. That’s what the characters in my newest novel, THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos 2020) by Raymond Gaynor (browser search “Raymond Gaynor The Edge of Madness”) do without thinking. The other thing they do is go congregate (interactive holographically) into small supportive groups, called “mobs.” It’s all about survival in a challenging and often dangerous world, waiting for you to discover:
The Edge of Madness
Psychologically, I think I’m not out of line to say almost everyone today in our Trumpean, COVID world is chronically stressed, with all the expected accoutrements: fatigue; difficulty concentrating (or an inability to do so); rapid, disorganized thoughts; irritability (which can be extreme); impulsiveness; difficulty sleeping, digestive problems, changes in appetite, increased blood pressure (and its effects), increased diabetes (and its effects), decreased immune response and increased vulnerability to malnutrition, disease and infection.
So how do people, especially teens who see their childhood and innocence disappearing, cope? First, know the complications of chronic stress mentioned about; avoid stressful situations as much as possible and prepare for those that are unavoidable; meditate; deep breath when feeling stressed; set personal limits and stick to them; get at least 8 hours of sleep a night; avoid multi-tasking and complete one task at a time; enjoy pro-creation; socialize and exercise daily. That’s what the characters in my newest novel, THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos 2020) by Raymond Gaynor (browser search “Raymond Gaynor The Edge of Madness”) do without thinking. The other thing they do is go congregate (interactive holographically) into small supportive groups, called “mobs.” It’s all about survival in a challenging and often dangerous world, waiting for you to discover:
The Edge of Madness
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