Our latest report reveals new insights on eating disorders, social media stress, and the existing need for mental health literacy.

This poll explores emerging areas such as eating disorders, the impact of social media, and Canadians’ awareness of their own mental health:

• New Insights on Eating Disorders: Our latest poll introduces a focus on eating disorders, revealing that nearly one-third (30%) of Canadians report thoughts and behaviours consistent with, or at high risk of developing, an eating disorder. Women (29%) are showing to be more likely than men (18%) to demonstrate these behaviours, as are young Canadians (45% of those under 35 years old) and members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities (48%).

• Social Media Stress: Social media remains a significant source of stress for many Canadians, with 36% of users feeling stressed from comparing themselves to others, among other negative mental health impacts.

• Acknowledging the Need for Mental Health Literacy: Only 32% of Canadians feel very confident in recognizing signs of poor mental health in themselves. There remains an existing need to improve mental health literacy and reduce self-stigma, with 54% expressing only moderate confidence and 8% admitting to having little confidence.

Additional major findings from Poll 21 include:

• Increasing Access and Satisfaction with Mental Health Support: More Canadians are accessing mental health support, with 17% reporting they have sought help in the past year. Additionally, satisfaction with mental health services has improved, with 36% of Canadians indicating that the support they received fully met their needs.

• Mixed Trends in Mental Health Improvement: More Canadians report improvements in their mental health (28%) than a decline (19%) over the past 12 months. While those who have accessed mental health support in that time frame are more likely to indicate an improvement (42%), certain groups, including nearly one in two (44%) of those facing financial challenges, are more likely to report a decline.