The Canadian government is falling short in addressing the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also turning its back on a new idea that could help people during times of mental health crisis.
This column is an opinion by Kathleen Finlay, a mental health advocate, CEO of The Center for Patient Protection, and founder of The 988 Campaign for Canada. For more information about CBC’s Opinion section, please see the FAQ.
Just about everyone knows about the physical health risks connected with the COVID-19 pandemic, but what about its threat to mental health?
Unprecedented disruptions to daily living and uncertainty on a scale unknown before by most is causing anxiety to go, well, viral. Yet the mental health side of this public health emergency is not receiving nearly as much attention as it needs when it comes to Canada’s national response.
So far, the resources put into it have been scant and lacking in strategic focus. That’s disappointing, but not surprising.
Mental health care has always been the poor cousin in the Canadian health care system. Help is just not always available where and when it needs to be, especially for the most vulnerable among us.
That’s one of the reasons I founded the campaign for a new three-digit nationwide hotline using the number 9-8-8 to put people facing a mental health crisis quickly in touch with trained counsellors who can help during times of severe emotional distress. It’s part of a bigger push to get the federal government to up its game when it comes to the mental health of Canadians.
A 9-8-8 system, like the one being developed in the U.S., is needed now more than ever. Since the COVID-19 outbreak hit Canada, I’ve heard from dozens of people who have felt overwhelmed by the enormity of this global threat. Some have experienced panic attacks that mimic the breathing problems associated with the virus. Many report feelings of depression. Others are petrified to leave their homes. Then there is the buying up of vast amounts of toilet paper.
U.K.-based psychotherapist Kathryn Kinmond told The Guardian that, “Coronavirus gives rise to lots of uncertainty, and this has particular resonance with people who suffer from anxiety.” The B.C. crisis centre reports that their hotline has been overwhelmed by calls from people worried about COVID-19.
The truth is Canada’s national effort falls alarmingly short of other countries in providing the resources people with mental health conditions need in moments of crisis like this. For example, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a helpful page on its website devoted to dealing with the anxiety and stress produced by COVID-19. It also provides a toll-free number for the government-operated, nationwide distress hotline for those experiencing a mental health crisis.
The CDC’s Canadian equivalent, the Public Health Agency of Canada, has a lot of useful information about the physical symptoms of COVID-19, including fact sheets, videos and infographics about how Canadians can protect themselves from the physical threats of the virus. But there is zero information devoted to its mental health risks, and nothing about where to get distress-related help.
