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2 years into the pandemic, Canada’s mental health system is at a critical juncture

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The mental health of Canadians has deteriorated in the two years since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting massive pressure on a mental health care system that was already near breaking point.

In one new investigation conducted by the Angus Reid Institute in partnership with CBC, 54 per cent of Canadians said their mental health had deteriorated over the past two years – with women faring significantly worse than men.

Sixty percent of women aged 18-34 said their mental health had deteriorated throughout the pandemic, and that number rose to 63% for women aged 35-54 over the past two years.

The survey coincides with new search from the Canadian Mental Health Association and the University of British Columbia (UBC) which paints a bleak picture across the country of a mental health crisis unfolding in the shadow of COVID-19 .

Many Canadians are stressed about what might come next in the pandemic – with 64% of responses worrying about the emergence of new variants of coronavirus in the future, which could jeopardize plans to live with the virus in as public health measures are lifted.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents believed COVID-19 will circulate in the population for years to come, while researchers found that two years of pandemic-related stress, grief and trauma could have long-lasting repercussions. term on the mental health of some Canadians.

“After two years, Canadians feel really overwhelmed and exhausted,” said Margaret Eaton, National CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

“There’s been an epidemic of chronic stress that’s been going on for so long, and people are feeling so much uncertainty, that we’re now concerned that it’s going to take a long time for them to get over this experience of the pandemic. »

The situation is just as dire from a global perspective, with new search from the World Health Organization which found that the first year of the pandemic increased levels of anxiety and depression worldwide by an astonishing 25%.

“The information we currently have on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health around the world is just the tip of the iceberg,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job of supporting the mental health of their populations. »

People walk on a sidewalk in Vancouver’s Chinatown in December 2020. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

“The system has been down for a long time”

Canada’s mental health care system has operated for decades as a partially privatized and fragmented system of hospitals, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and community groups paid for either by donations, government funding or directly from their poached.

“We live in this patchwork mental health system where some people, if you have a good employer with a benefits plan, you might get psychotherapy,” Eaton said.

“But a lot of people have suffered from the pandemic and found no support… Many find that they have to go on a waiting list to see a psychotherapist or get into a counseling program and that has been very hard with Canadians. »

Dr. Peter Liu, a clinical psychologist in Ottawa, said the system is unable to meet the mental health care needs that have increased dramatically during the pandemic, and does not know how the industry will be able to fill the gaps. in the future.

“The demand for services has increased to levels I’ve never seen before and the psychologists I work with and collaborate with are all saying the same thing,” he said.

“It’s actually too much for what psychologists can come across… Even if you realize you need help, it’s very hard to find it. »

2 years into the pandemic, Canada's mental health system is at a critical juncture
A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of COVID-19 walks along Front Street in Toronto in November 2021. (Evan Buhler/The Canadian Press)

Emily Jenkins, co-investigator on the survey and associate professor of nursing at UBC, said that while Canada has experienced significant population-level mental health issues over the past two years, pressure on the mental health care system predates COVID -19.

“People can be waiting a long time, and their mental health has to be at such a critical point to be able to access these acute care services – it’s really not providing care when needed,” she said.

“The system has long been broken. »

Break down barriers to access

Eaton said Canada is at a “pivotal moment” for mental health which she says calls for a complete overhaul of the mental health care system – rather than “just throwing money at it”.

The federal government has pledged $4.5 billion in health transfers to provinces and territories over five years for targeted funding for mental health, which Eaton says could be a game-changer if the funding is used. to increase the availability of treatments.

Federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett said Canada has also launched resources to help Canadians access support like Wellness Canada and the PocketWell app – but these are largely care channels.

“The old way of thinking in silos hasn’t served Canadians,” Bennett said.

“I think COVID has taught people that they can ask for help, that they’re not alone and that they need to be able to let people know they’re struggling and that care is going to be a little different from what they were before. »

Eaton said funding must be dedicated to early mental health interventions in communities across the country to ensure vulnerable populations receive adequate and timely support – something that she said “is not catered for. in the system right now.

“We would also like to see funding for psychotherapy and psychology, which should only be a basic service,” she said.

“And ultimately it comes down to the notion that we all need universal mental health care – that health care should include mental health. »

Eaton said that as Canadians recover from the pandemic, federal and provincial government funding must do more to address systemic issues and remove barriers to access to avoid a breaking point.

WATCH | Canadians are suffering from mental health due to the COVID-19 pandemic

2 years into the pandemic, Canada's mental health system is at a critical juncture

Canadians’ mental health suffered during COVID-19 pandemic, poll finds





A new survey reveals that more than half of Canadians believe their mental health has deteriorated two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts are calling on the federal government to include mental health treatment in universal health care so those who need help can get it. 2:11

“Our concern is that the longer-term impact is where we’ll really need to invest,” Eaton said.

“While we may be returning to work and school, things are somewhat normal – we expect it could take up to two years before the longer-term impacts of COVID are dealt with and of this chronic stress. »

“We will bounce back”

The level of stress and anxiety that many Canadians have experienced throughout the pandemic may also have long-term impacts on the brain that threaten to compromise our ability to bounce back in the future.

“When people don’t feel safe for very long periods of time, it leads to a real cumulative deterioration in their functioning,” Liu said. “Stress only gets amplified over time when you’re in that kind of state. »

Liu said this constant stress can also lead to immune system suppression, sleep disruptions, anxiety, depression and emotional dysregulation.

Liu said reducing work stress, withdrawing from toxic people in your life, connecting with healthy relationships, and seeking support whenever possible could maintain functioning, prevent sinking further into burnout, and repel additional stress.

“Unfortunately the pandemic has made it very difficult for a lot of people to connect with others,” he said.

“But working to increase contact, communication and nurturing relationships will certainly help everyone because the strength of the attachment of relationships develops in a person a sense of security and even trust. »

Liu said the silver lining is that people are resilient by nature and the brain is designed to adapt to a wide range of stressful experiences.

“The brain can cope with just about anything life throws at it,” he said.

“So I would say in the long term, we’re going to bounce back. There will be collective and individual resilience. Unfortunately, the road to get there is very, very bumpy and very stressful. »

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