Mental health and the pandemic — workers shift to help those struggling during rise of COVID-19

One year into the pandemic, the Canadian Mental Health Association says mental health trends across Ontario are alarming. The agency conducted a recent survey and found extremely high rates of stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness.

The trends are similar in northeastern Ontario, says Patty MacDonald, CEO for CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin. And they've been seeing more people accessing mental health support, particularly in recent weeks.

MacDonald says people are feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

"There's a higher stress. There's this lack of motivation, lack of sleep and struggling with their depression. So we're feeling that most of the concerns are now becoming more complex than a year ago, and it's just very compounded due to the pandemic and due to current restrictions."

MacDonald says the results from the recent CMHA survey will be used to advocate for more government investment in mental health supports and to make additions or changes to programs in the future. 

"This is very alarming and I think that if we don't do something about it that we're absolutely going to go into a crisis."

In Sudbury, the Northern Initiative for Social Action provides a number of in-person, or virtual mental health programs.

Program co-ordinator Tammy Armstrong says she understands what's driving the increased demand for help.

"They say 'I live alone, I'm stuck in my apartment, I don't have much support.' For myself, I can relate. I also live alone, I live in an apartment, a little bit more isolated maybe. So you find out where you relate," she said.

"We've heard a lot about loneliness, a lot of people just don't what to do with their time. So it seems people really appreciated that connection where we reached out and connected with them. We either called them or they could call us. So that really seemed to kind of just bridge some connection because a lot of our members do live alone."

Armstrong says more can always be done to help those in need.

"It's a learning curve ... it's definitely changed over the past year. We're doing a lot more self-help groups, information-based groups. The technology was something a lot of our members had to learn how to use, as well as ourselves. I didn't know how to use Zoom when we first got it," she said.

"Even if we do go back into the office, we would continue to offer [virtual meetings] with our members. We're peers. And it's really amazing opportunity to just share with each other that we're on the same level. If somebody needs to talk, we do have telephone support. We offer our warm line in the evening, which is open seven days a week, from 6 p.m. until midnight. 

Armstrong says more people have been calling in to the warm line in the last year.

"We have well over 1,000 calls a month — beyond what our target calls were expected to be."

Hospital supports adapting to help

Over at Health Sciences North, its mental health and addictions program offers a range of services and supports for patients across Sudbury, Manitoulin Island and East Algoma.

A hospital spokesperson says that, while the program saw a slight decrease in the number of people seeking help during the onset of COVID-19, due to stay at home orders from public health and social distancing, volumes are trending upwards and nearing the same levels as the previous year.

In the last year, many programs have transitioned to virtual care where possible to ensure patients still receive the care they need during the pandemic. In 2019-2020, roughly 90 per cent of mental health services were delivered in person, but in 2020-2021, more than half of all visits were conducted virtually.

The spokesperson says substance use, including opioid use, has been magnified during the pandemic. As a result, HSN is taking a harm-reduction approach to care, which includes training and education for HSN staff and physicians. It is hoped this training will help support patients with substance use issues while they are in hospital or receiving treatment through outpatient services.