Akela Peoples: Our lives are returning to normal, but Canadians’ mental health still needs addressing

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We are so close to returning to normal. COVID numbers are dropping, lockdowns and restrictions are being lifted. Between vaccinations and natural immunity, we have never had a more protected population.

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But a question lingers: will our mental health return to normal?

We are in uncharted territory here, never before having experienced a pandemic or lockdowns in the modern era. We’ve also never experienced the fallout that arises later. Many are wondering how long it will take for our mental health to recover after a collective trauma. What’s more, there’s the question of how the pandemic’s unintended consequences will continue to impact us. High inflation, record debt and increased political polarization will only magnify negative mental health. We simply cannot declare “mission accomplished” while Canadians continue to face these challenges.

For a lot of people, mental health will recover naturally as the virus becomes “endemic” and lockdowns are lifted. Indeed, about two-thirds of Canadians scored highly on resiliency in our ongoing work tracking mental health throughout the pandemic.

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But we’ve already identified other groups, especially frontline heroes such as nurses, who will need our thoughts and plans. Many will experience PTSD, a challenging issue that can manifest months after a trauma subsides. I am pleased that many, although not all, governments are prioritizing funding for supporting these important workers. Helping those who carried us through the pandemic is not only a moral imperative, but a pragmatic one. We need the continued services and expertise of these nurses amid an endemic virus and hundreds of thousands of delayed medical procedures.

Having worse mental health during a crisis is an entirely normal and predictable outcome

A sizable segment of the population is experiencing generally “worse” mental health, an abundance of reports show. But it’s important to clarify that having worse mental health during a crisis is an entirely normal and predictable outcome. Instead of worrying about a general worsening of mental heath, we should focus squarely on people whose mental health is so challenged that it is dramatically impacting their daily lives, or leading to an array of symptoms associated with diagnosable disorders or psychological distress. Determining who and how many of these individuals will require interventions so they can recover, must be addressed.

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Mental Health Research Canada has looked at this issue from several perspectives. Importantly, 20 per cent of Canadians indicate they are accessing some sort of mental health support right now, and an additional 13 per cent believe they should be. This is up from 13 per cent who said they accessed supports before COVID and seven per cent who believed they should be.

Not all those accessing help are in dire need. To dig further, we developed a composite index that considers self-rated scales, resiliency, stress management, mental health screener tools, and tests for symptoms of psychological distress. Our index score indicates that approximately nine per cent of the adult population has a serious, ongoing and immediate need for mental health supports. This group is over-representative of several populations: women, younger Canadians, mothers, the precariously employed, members of the LGBTQ2S+ community and frontline health-care workers. These groups not only have elevated numbers of mental health diagnoses, but also higher levels of suicide ideation, lost days due to mental health issues, and struggles across their personal, family and professional lives.

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Putting aside the human element, we have an economic rationale for continued focus on mental health. Our data indicates that eight per cent of the school or working population are losing days every week to mental health issues. Further, insurance companies have reported substantive increases in both short- and long-term disability. Beyond this, one in five Canadians who are employed or in school (21 per cent) report being substantially impaired at work due to mental health issues. The impact of lost productivity on our economy from new mental health challenges since COVID measures in the billions.

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These challenges are compounded by the fact that we have no nationwide Canadian mental health system. Instead, we have 10 provincial systems, a federal government with limited jurisdiction, private insurance, and Indigenous and community providers.  Some progress is being made, however. The federal government’s investment in Wellness Together Canada, along with its commitment to invest in a mental health transfer system, are good steps forward.

We also see value in government providing tax incentives for employers offering mental health benefits at a certain level to employees. There is a huge opportunity for our workplaces to be forever transformed, with greater focus on workplace wellness in general. Let’s not miss that opportunity.

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Going further, we can build bridges between primary care providers and specialists, regardless of whether those services are paid for through insurance, out of pocket, or publicly funded. We can add to the standardization of care between provinces. Investments in virtual and hybrid treatment solutions will be required due to capacity issues, but we must also invest in making sure people are sent for the right treatment, and that the treatment is evidence-based.

Finally, we all have a responsibility to keep talking about mental health. In our latest poll, people with a mental health diagnosis indicated the biggest issue they want addressed is ending stigma. Making progress on stigma is a responsibility for us all.

Akela Peoples is chief executive officer of Mental Health Research Canada.

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