Klinic's crisis line challenged to keep up with the demand for mental health supports
Fewer volunteers due to pandemic means some calls for help could go unanswered
Public health restrictions have been lifted but many Manitobans are still struggling with their mental health.
"It is a very challenging time," said Sophia Ali, the director of mental health and crisis services at Klinic in Winnipeg. "People are looking for resources and there are limited resources out there."
Ali says Klinic's crisis line is seeing high volumes of calls and its crisis management team has dwindled during the pandemic and remains understaffed. As a result, she says some calls aren't getting through.
Klinic offers a range of mental, sexual and reproductive health supports to the community. The crisis line provides free support, counselling and referrals for people who are experiencing thoughts of self-harm, in crisis or are struggling to cope.
Calls have been higher throughout the pandemic, but Ali says current world events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine and even a long, cold winter are taking a toll on Manitobans.
"When typical services end at 5 p.m. or 9 p.m. the crisis line is there 24/7," Ali said. "That's where we're able to support some of the gaps in the community."
The organization's volunteer contingent was halved by the height of the pandemic, from a pre-pandemic high of 170 people to just 55.
Ali says there are a number of factors affecting the number of volunteers on hand. Some people are choosing to limit their contacts, others have had to turn down shifts due to COVID-19 symptoms, and with virtual training sessions they aren't able to train as many people at one time.
Long waits for mental health support, pandemic isolation hurting well-being
The pandemic has had significant impacts on Canadians' mental health.
One in four Canadians aged 18 and older screened positive for symptoms of depression, anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder in spring 2021, up from one in five in fall 2020, according to the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health released by Statistics Canada in September 2021.
The data suggests younger people have suffered more. Eighty-three per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 said they had experienced negative impacts of the pandemic like loneliness, compared to just 54 per cent of people aged 65 and older.
Brooke Chafe started struggling with her mental health in January 2021. The now-22-year-old was in college at the time, and was living alone because of COVID-19. The pressure of tests and exams and what she suspects might be symptoms of undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder eventually caught up with her.
"I've had anxiety attacks, panic attacks, the whole nine yards, basically," she said.
Her family helped her connect with her doctor who referred her to a psychiatrist. She says it wasn't until December 2021 that she received the letter from Prairie Mountain Health notifying her of an appointment.
When she finally had her appointment with a psychiatrist more than a year after receiving the referral, Chafe says the doctor made her feel terrible. She says she felt her concerns about undiagnosed ADHD were dismissed.
"I was out the door in 30 minutes, and I was just frustrated," Chafe said. "I'm still frustrated, I waited a year for 30 minutes of not being valid."
Chafe says she has a hard time focusing and hasn't been able to keep up with things like chores around the house.
"It feels like every day I'm having a war in my head just to function," she said. "I want that to change."
She has been trying to distract herself from what she's feeling with movies and video games. While she's continued working as an information technologist in Dauphin, she says it's worse for others who are facing more urgent mental health crises.
"We definitely need more resources to cut down the waitlist," Chafe said. "Imagine someone in a worse situation than me — that kind of scares me for other people."
Klinic seeks volunteers
The staff at Klinic answer as many calls as possible, but Ali says the needs of every caller vary and workers often have to stay on the line for some time.
The organization encourages people to seek other coping techniques if they can't get through. She says if there's an immediate risk to safety, people should consider calling the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's mobile crisis service or calling 911.
Ali says she's hopeful Klinic will see volunteers return, and she also hopes Manitobans' mental health will improve as the weather warms and people get back to the activities that make them feel connected.
A list of crisis support resources is available on Klinic's website.
Klinic's 24-7 crisis line is 204-786-8686, or toll free at 1-888-322-3019. The Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line's round the clock supports are available at 1-877-435-7170 or at reasontolive.ca.
For general health questions and concerns, Klinic recommends contacting Health Links at 204-788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257.