23 percent of Detroit children considered suicide during Michigan lockdown: survey

A recent survey of over 15,000 Detroit students, staff, and families conducted by the University of Michigan showed that 23 percent of the children had contemplated suicide during the state-wide pandemic lockdown.

The survey also found that 56 percent of the students had symptoms of anxiety and 62 percent had symptoms of depression. In addition, the study found that Detroit-area children fared far worse than children in other parts of the country.

Furthermore, the study revealed that many of the children have not nor did plan to seek help believing it would do no good or felt a sense of shame.

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer instituted one of the most severe  and long-lasting COVID-19 lockdowns in the nation.

It appears that the lack of in-person schooling due to the restrictions has hit many kids hard. A Freedom of Information Act request has since revealed what was apparent in February: the CDC took guidance from a powerful teachers union to determine the appropriate guidance for school re0openings.

Those who do seek help may very well find that help delayed by an overwhelmed system. One Michigan pediatric care center's CEO commented:

"Compared to the year prior to the pandemic, Pine Rest has seen a 44% increase in pediatric 'turnaways,' situations in which our child and adolescent services were at capacity, and we had to work with parents or guardians to find care elsewhere,”"

"Other organizations have reported very similar trends, and there have been a number of recent stories from around the state in which parents spend days, even weeks, trying to find appropriate placement for their children," the executive said.

"It's, frankly, heartbreaking," Pine Rest's president Mark Eastburg stated.