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Canadians’ mental health deteriorating as pandemic drags on: poll

The results, released Monday, found nearly half of Canadians said they’ve been feeling fatigued, 40 per cent reported feelings of frustration, and 37 per cent said they’ve been anxious.

More Canadians are struggling with their mental health as the COVID-19 pandemic hits the two-year mark, according to a new study.

The Angus Reid Institute polled more than 1,500 Canadians last week to probe their mental and emotional states of mind.

The results, released Monday, found nearly half of Canadians said they’ve been feeling fatigued, 40 per cent reported feelings of frustration, and 37 per cent said they’ve been anxious.

One in three — or 36 per cent — said they are struggling with their mental health, a jump from 25 per cent in November before the Omicron variant triggered a new wave of infections, hospitalizations, and restrictions.

“Nearing the second anniversary of Canada’s first pandemic shutdown, mental health struggles among Canadians are rising,” said the report on the findings.

“Whether it’s the enforced social distancing, isolation, the fear of infection, or the result of public health restrictions keeping Canadians from activities they enjoy, there are myriad potential causes for negative mental health impacts.”

Worsening mental health can be seen across the country. In B.C., 67 per cent of respondents said they felt “good” or “great,” while 33 per cent said they are in a “not good” or “terrible” mental state. The figures are at par with the national average.

Other provinces have it worse: about 41 per cent of Ontario residents reported negative states of mind, while Saskatchewan and Manitoba are not far behind, at 39 per cent.

Faring better are Quebec, where 32 per cent said they weren’t doing well, and Atlantic Canada and Alberta, where 31 per cent are struggling.

Young people age 18 to 34 were more likely to say they are having a tough time or are barely getting by — an indication, said the report, that younger Canadians are more likely to suffer mental health impacts of the pandemic even as the disease’s affects older generation’s physical health more.

The self-commissioned study also found women and low-income Canadians are more likely to experience poorer mental health.

That decline in mental health appears to be already manifesting itself in alcohol abuse, addiction, anxiety and depression.

The poll found nearly half of respondents said they know someone in their social alcohol struggling with alcohol abuse as a major problem.

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2022-01-25T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-25T08:00:00.0000000Z

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