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40% of young people at a 'breaking point' when it comes to mental health

the research by maru public opinion also found that people in ontario, alberta, manitoba and saskatchewan were more likely to experience a decrease in mental health than those in atlantic canada, b.c., or quebec.

by maija kappler

mar 1 2022

4 minute read

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40% of young people at a 'breaking point' when it comes to mental health

researchers found that 17 per cent of canadians feel they need professional mental health care, but can't access it. getty

the mental health of canadians is still a significant concern two years into the pandemic, especially for people between the ages of 18 and 34, according to the results of a new poll released exclusively to healthing .

the survey, conducted by maru public opinion in early 2022, looked at the mental health of over 1,500 canadian adults. it found that more than one-third (35 per cent) of canadian adults of all ages say their mental health is worse now than it was in february 2020, before the pandemic began. people in ontario, alberta, manitoba and saskatchewan were more likely to experience a decrease in mental health than those in atlantic canada, b.c., or quebec.

of course, mental health concerns are no surprise — especially as we continue to trudge through the remnants of covid-19. the pandemic has exacerbated stress and anxiety for almost everyone: even those not directly impacted by illness, grief, or lost wages had to deal with fear and social isolation. and more than two years in, those worries haven’t gone away.

“i’m always reminded of something that was said to me many years ago, that psychiatry didn’t really surface until four or five years after the first world war,” says john wright, maru’s executive vice president. “we had a mental health system in this country that was already bearing significant pressures before the pandemic… i suspect that in the next 18 months, we’ll see more and more evidence of people needing help.”

at a ‘breaking point’

the survey found that people aged 18 to 34 were well above the national average in feeling like they’re at a “breaking point,” mentally: 40 per cent of young people agreed with that statement, compared to 24 per cent of canadians generally. twenty-seven per cent of young people said they had suicidal ideation over the last three months, significantly higher than the national average of 15 per cent, and a number that wright calls “massive.”

and then there were worries about what comes next. more than half of young people — 53 per cent — said they were worried about their future because the pandemic seemed “relentless.” the national average was 10 points lower, at 43 per cent. that age group was also the most likely to worry about the mental health of others: 49 per cent said one of their friends or an immediate family member had suffered a mental health crisis (above the national average of 37 per cent), and 51 per cent knew of children or youth in their immediate family or circle of friends who had had significant mental health problems because of the pandemic.

32% need mental health care but can’t access it

one of the most distressing statistics was related to the accessibility of mental health care: 17 per cent of canadians feel they need professional mental health care, but can’t access it. that’s a sobering 5.8 million canadian adults.

for canadians aged 18 to 34, though, the number is much higher: a sobering 32 per cent of young people. “the number [is] shocking,” wright says. “i would think that coming out of an armed conflict, we might see upwards of that number.”

part of the lack of access can be blamed on canada’s critical shortage of psychiatrists , and long wait times. in ontario, for instance, many people wait between six months and a year to see a mental health care practitioner. cost can also a major barrier, as non-physician mental health provider services aren’t covered by medicare. and of course, therapists and counsellors are dealing with the same pandemic stress as the rest of us — and as demand for their services increases, their burnout rate appears to be rising, too .

overall, the survey findings highlight both the impact the pandemic has had on canadians, as well as a critical need for more mental health support, particularly aimed at young adults. but as restrictions slowly ease and we move towards something that resembles more of a pre-pandemic life, wright cautions that we keep this data in mind.

“we’re starting to open up,” wright says. “when we get into spring, people will start to step outside, and that’s when we’ll think everything will be rosy. but for a lot of people, the trauma of what’s happened, and adjusting to this new form of life, it’s pretty close to the bone.”

if you’re thinking about suicide or are worried about a friend or loved one, please contact the canada suicide prevention service at 1.833.456.4566 toll free or connect via text at 45645, from 4 p.m. to midnight et.

maija kappler is a reporter and editor at healthing. you can reach her at mkappler@postmedia.com

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40% of young people at a 'breaking point' when it comes to mental health

the research by maru public opinion also found that people in ontario, alberta, manitoba and saskatchewan were more likely to experience a decrease in mental health than those in atlantic canada, b.c., or quebec.

at a ‘breaking point’

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32% need mental health care but can’t access it

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40% of young people at a 'breaking point' when it comes to mental health

the research by maru public opinion also found that people in ontario, alberta, manitoba and saskatchewan were more likely to experience a decrease in mental health than those in atlantic canada, b.c., or quebec.

at a ‘breaking point’

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