COVID continues to have a negative effect on Canadians' mental health

'Among adults in Canada, the prevalence of suicidal ideation since the pandemic began was 4.2%, which was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic prevalence of 2.7% in 2019,' says Statistics Canada.

How COVID continues to have a negative effect on Canadians
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The fear of getting sick or getting someone else sick, the isolation periods and being distant from others.

According to Statistics Canada, the mental health among Canadians has “worsened since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic” and a study was done to identify those who have “mental health difficulties and to quantify the relationships between mental health profiles, negative impacts related to the pandemic and suicidal ideation.”

As StatsCan explains:

Three mental health profiles were identified. Individuals were classified as having no mental health difficulties (Profile 1, 65.70%), low-to-moderate mental
health difficulties (Profile 2, 25.52%) and severe mental health difficulties (Profile 3, 8.78%).

Among individuals with severe mental health difficulties, one in five (19.09%) had contemplated suicide since the onset of the pandemic.

Overall, adults aged 65 and older (versus 18 to 34 years) were at decreased odds of experiencing emotional distress, difficulty in meeting financial obligations or essential needs, the loss of a job or income, feelings of loneliness or isolation, physical health problems, challenges in personal relationships with members of their household, other impacts and suicidal ideation.

In a study from earlier this year, researchers found that, “Among adults in Canada, the prevalence of suicidal ideation since the pandemic began was 4.2%, which was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic prevalence of 2.7% in 2019.”

“The percentage of people who had experienced suicidal ideation didn’t change all that much from pre-pandemic to during the pandemic,” said Michelle Guerrero, an analyst at Statistics Canada. “But what our study really highlighted is that this number drastically changes depending on your mental health difficulties.”

Not only are adults experiencing such negativity during this time — kids are also suffering. 

According to CTV News, a report found that “27% of parents have noticed their children having anxiety about the future, 24% noticed a decline in social development and 23 reported a decline in academic development.”

The pandemic took a toll on many Canadians, Dr. Shima Kang told Global News that “loneliness is on track for the number one health epidemic of the next generation.”

Social distancing played a humongous part in keeping people sad and depressed, as Canadians were encouraged not to hug or speak to others face to face, even if they lived alone. There's also the lack of bringing in income after most places of work were shut down, with many workers forced to apply for government benefits.

The world has not been the same since the beginning of the pandemic. With all the fear that's been promoted, the mental health of Canadians seems to be heading in a negative direction.

Hopefully, people suffering from this horrible situation we've endured since 2020 can find more happiness.

Mental health should be taken seriously, and it's something that has been neglected during the pandemic.

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