40 per cent of Canadian young adults at ‘mental health breaking point:’ poll

Forty per cent of young adults in Canada feel they are at a mental health breaking point right now, almost 16 per cent higher than the national average, according to a new poll.

The survey released by Maru Public Opinion looked at the state of mental health in the country two years into the COVID-19 pandemic. Young adults, aged 18 to 34, were in a significantly worse state than the national average.

Over 30 per cent feel they need professional mental health help, but cannot access services while 27 per cent have recently experienced suicidal thoughts and feelings, almost double the national average of 15 per cent.

The majority, over 50 per cent, are worried about their future because the COVID-19 pandemic seems ruthless.

For the general population, 35 per cent said their mental health was worse than it was before the pandemic in Feb. 2020 while just one in 10 of those surveyed said it was better.

Many young adults also have strong concerns about the mental health of those around them. Almost 60 per cent are very worried about the mental health of the people in their own family and over 50 per cent know of children or youth in their immediate family or circle of friends who has suffered a mental health crisis in the past year.

The national average of those who know someone close to them that has experienced a mental health crisis was 38 per cent. Women, at 44 per cent, were much more likely to be aware of this situation than men at 31 per cent.

The highest response rates for these questions about mental health were found in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The survey was conducted in late January using 1,506 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

A survey taken last December found almost 50 per cent of Canadians were frustrated and another 40 per cent were anxious heading into 2022. Shortly after, COVID-19 rates spiked and another wave of restrictions were introduced.

Since then, public health measures against COVID-19 have been mostly lifted across the country, including mask mandates, isolation requirements and proof of vaccination.