Poll 19 unveils an increase in negative mental health indicators among Canadians, alongside new insights.

The findings delve into mental health indicators as well as previously unexplored topics:

• Results of this poll demonstrate the worst self-rated mental health indicators since the end of the pandemic, with more than one in ten Canadians reporting high self-rated anxiety or depression. We noted a significant increase in depression driven by higher rates in Alberta and Ontario.

• Questions about screen time reveal a significant correlation between a high amount of personal screen time and negative mental health indicators. While the negative impact of daily news on mental health is slightly better than during the pandemic, the impact of social media has worsened. 

• More than one in four Canadians (27%) currently live with chronic pain, with the majority reporting that it has a daily, debilitating impact on their lives. Further insights explore the intersection of chronic pain and opioid use.

Additional major findings from Poll 19 include:

• Awareness of the new 988 crisis suicide helpline is high, with already 46% of Canadians having heard of it and 3% having used it.

• Most Canadians (70%) are concerned about climate change, but only one in three (34%) report that it has some negative impact on their mental health (5% say it has a strong negative impact).

• Two-fifths of Canadians still feel that the economic downturn is impacting their mental health, and food and housing insecurities remain at a consistent level.

• One-in-Five (21%) of Canadians have either accessed a mental health support in the past year (15%) or feel they should be accessing a support (6%).  This rate of need rose last quarter and remains elevated when looking at post-pandemic indicators.