ABSTRACT
Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a source of psychological stress for many people lately. Due to stress over the pandemic, many people reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorders leading, inter alia, to difficulty sleeping (insomnia), eating disorders, suicidal ideation or suicide, increased substance abuse, worsening chronic conditions, and deaths due to overdose. Studies also show that crisis communication tends to degenerate into an infodemic and is susceptible to increasing the risk of mental health problems, such as stress, distress, anxiety, and depression. Individuals and populations could have severe mental health consequences if mental health problems are communicated improperly during a pandemic. The youth are among high-risk groups predisposed to poor mental health outcomes during pandemics. This chapter reflects on the plight of sub-Saharan African youth during the pandemic. The chapter argues that the sub-Saharan African youth generally could not sift and utilise useful information for sound health decision-making due to stress and infodemic. Apart from extant literature on crisis communication and mental health, this chapter draws on the Ubuntu thought system to reflect on the role of African philosophy in the debate on infodemic and psychological stress.
