Many Bastrop County youths and younger adults trying to return to a normal lifestyle after living under months of COVID-19 restrictions are facing increased mental-health challenges, according to local experts. Counselors and various studies have shed a light on emerging mental-health challenges set in motion by the pandemic, particularly among school-age groups. Two Bastrop-based mental-health professionals said new patients are reaching out for help at a rapid rate; one noted many adolescents and young adults are expressing thoughts of self-harm. Melissa Stevens, a counselor at Thriveworks Bastrop who specializes in assisting children, teens and young adults, said the return to in-person schooling after months of remote ...