Is there a mental health crisis in Manitoba? For people dealing directly with the effects of a serious viral illness the sense of crisis is an everyday experience. Maybe that’s the thing about this crisis. It’s not a terrible event that affects us and then is gone. It’s always with us, never far from the back of our mind. It’s becoming normal.
Of course, our memory tells us things are definitely not normal. This time of social weirdness and inconvenience seems endless, and yet most Manitobans are doing ok. Just ask them. Many will tell you that the restrictions on our ordinary activities have had unexpected benefits. They have more time to go deeper into aspects of their lives that had been neglected. However, something feels wrong here.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto is the largest mental health teaching hospital in Canada. Over the course of the past year, they have conducted research on the state of mental health during the pandemic. A Nanos Research poll, conducted on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), has found that many people in Canada have seen their stress levels double since the onset of COVID-19. People are struggling with fear and uncertainty about their own health and their loved ones’ health, concerns about employment and finances, and the social isolation that comes from public health measures such as quarantining and physical distancing.
A recent poll found that 50 per cent of Canadians reported worsening mental health since the pandemic began with many feeling worried (44%) and anxious (41%). One in 10 Canadians polled said that their mental health had worsened ‘a lot’ because of COVID-19.
Similar results were found in a survey of Canadian workers, where 81 per cent reported that the pandemic is negatively affecting their mental health, indicating a significant drop in overall worker mental health since the beginning of COVID-19. But, despite their self-awareness, more than three in four people report that, over the last month, they have never, or almost never sought mental health information online.
Substance use is also on the rise in Canada during COVID-19. Another poll found that 25% of Canadians aged 35-54 and 21% of those aged 18-34 have increased their alcohol consumption since social distancing and self-isolation was imposed.
The current and ongoing financial impacts of the pandemic can also be expected to take a toll on mental health. For example, the 2008 global financial crisis was associated with increased rates of mood disorders, anxiety disorders and suicides because of unemployment, job insecurity, reduced wages and increased workloads.
“The ‘I’m fine’ theme of this year’s Mental Health Week captures the key message of this poll,” said Louise Bradley, president and CEO of the MHCC.
“When we say we are ‘fine,’ we may not always mean it. I hope this survey reminds everyone that it’s normal to feel stressed, anxious, or preoccupied during this outbreak. There is no shame in admitting as much, and there is certainly no shame in taking advantage of all the resources at your disposal to help you feel better.”
In the next installment, we will examine some of these resources, many of them available locally. For now, recognize that our mental wellness, as well as our physical safety requires physical distancing but social connection. Stay connected.
If you need help, please see the provincial government’s Be Well website at https://www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/bewell/index.html
