This week marks Mental Health Week across Canada and the main question everyone is asking these days…how are you feeling?
Alan Stevenson is the CEO of Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton-Kent, and says the organization’s research shows the pandemic is taking an emotional toll on all of us.
“The theme this year is Get Real About Your Mental Health, and that is really meant to acknowledge the difficult time that everybody is coping with in COVID,” Stevenson says. “Just to say to Canadians that it’s normal to have negative feelings and feel like it’s a struggle to manage, that’s a perfectly normal and human reaction.”
The CMHA has taken 3 surveys over the last year and overall they have seen a decline in the mental health of Canadian’s as COVID continues. The most common responses are worried, bored, anxious, and stressed.
“These are perfectly normal responses to the pandemic because the pandemic is so prolonged and there’s so much anxiety-provoking information and concerns that we all share.”
Stevenson says isolation is a definite factor in mental wellbeing, so people are encouraged to make connections however they can, either over the phone or virtual, or safely outdoors. He says exercise and fresh air is good for everyone’s mental health.
Lori Marshall, CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is joining the push for greater emphasis on recognizing our own mental health struggles.
“We always knew that it was a priority for us as an organization to make sure we’re taking care of individuals and one another,” Marshall says. “In this last year, the impact of the pandemic has been incredible, it’s really important for all of us to acknowledge that it has made an impact on everybody and no one is excluded from that.”
Marshall encourages everyone to find an activity that can help deal with mental health struggles, identify your own challenges, and make use of resources available in the community.
CLICK HERE for a list of programs and services available through CMHA Lambton Kent.
