Crisis threatens young psyches, U of C prof says
Resources available for youths facing mental health concerns in pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant toll on the mental health of young Albertans, say experts, who warn it could have a lasting effect on their futures.
Clinical psychologist Brae Anne Mcarthur said youths who are experiencing higher adversity and have lower socio-economic status are most at risk.
“The tween and teenage range is really prime for the development of mental-health disorders, so this is a time when we see an escalation in a lot of symptoms, depression, anxiety and suicide rates,” said Mcarthur, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Calgary focusing on the determinants of child development.
“Ultimately, how they manage and cope right now is predictive of their adult mental health.”
In the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta, students in grades 7 to 12 were switched to at-home learning, sports were halted and tougher measures on socialization were implemented, including a ban on indoor social gatherings unless it's with household members.
Ashley Lamantia, education lead for youth services at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) of Calgary, said the new rules will likely “exacerbate” existing mental-health struggles for youth and will challenge their resiliency.
“A big thing we need to do is help them focus on things they can control because there are so many things we can't control, especially when we see added restrictions,” she said, adding that strong athome routines, practising selfcare, setting goals, sharing feelings and seeking help are crucial for youths in this uncertain time.
CMHA provides educational sessions through its YOUTHSMART program in junior and high schools in Calgary and area. They typically host 800 sessions a year, speaking to about 25,000 students.
Lamantia said they've had “a huge increase in requests” this year and have transitioned to virtual delivery.
Youth services facilitator Keirstyn Secord with the CMHA said the agency is seeing a rise in stress and feelings of uncertainty about the future among youths.
“We really try to focus on providing them a balanced perspective to well-being, so focusing on the various elements of wellness, knowing that mental health is tied to physical health,” Secord said.
She said sleep, proper nutrition, exercise, maintaining social connections and following a routine are “vital to human resiliency” and can help young people regain a sense of normalcy amid the ongoing crisis.
Among young people on the whole, Mcarthur said, there is a “bit of a mixed story” regarding child and adolescent mental health.
At the start of the pandemic, research showed that youths were experiencing poor mental-health outcomes when lockdown and physical-distancing measures came into effect. But more recently, studies suggest the effect varies depending on an individual's environment and characteristics, she said.
Her recent study involving Calgary tweens found about 45 per cent reported a high level of happiness. Mcarthur said potential factors for those who responded positively are reconnection with family, more sleep, and belonging to well-off families with access to mental-health resources.
“Whereas other youth who really thrive off of in-person interaction or maybe were supported by a teacher or coach outside of the household are experiencing a bit more difficulty,” she said.
Parents can support their children's mental health by validating their feelings and frustrations, Mcarthur said.
Michael Huston, a psychologist who counsels at Mount Royal University, said COVID-19 is challenging all of us, but post-secondary students are uniquely affected.
“It's a prime time in life for developing relationships and spending time with friends. All of that is shut down,” Huston said. “That's been a common theme with my clients this year — they don't have access to relationships or opportunities to develop relationships in the same way that they have.”
Most Alberta post-secondary institutions have moved classes online, with limited services available on campus. It's far from the typical university or college experience, with COVID-19 forcing the cancellation of in-person campus clubs, lectures and community events.
“It's supposed to be this big, fun time where you have all these new experiences,” Huston said. “And so many (students) are struggling financially, and if they are not struggling financially, they are at home in their parents' house, having to live this pedestrian experience. This is not what they bargained for.”
He said he's been “busier than ever this year” in counselling students. Common themes are financial difficulties, unemployment, social isolation and feelings of “moving backwards.”
Huston said many young people are new to managing the demands of life and can struggle to find successful coping strategies, having never needed to before.
His advice for university students is to stay in touch with friends in any way possible and join new online communities, as well as taking time to invest in themselves and school work. Students should also take advantage of resources available to them, such as counselling services.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) is also directing resources toward younger Albertans.
Dr. Nicholas Mitchell, provincial medical director of addiction and mental health with AHS, said the agency launched Together all earlier this year to support Albertans between the ages of 16 and 25.
“Economically, particularly people in their early 20s can be more at risk for unemployment and financial stress during times like this, so we know that it was a population we wanted to focus on,” Mitchell said.
He added that social isolation, academic pressure and life transitions play a role in mental-health struggles for this age group.
Togetherall is a free, online peerto-peer support community moderated by clinicians. It allows users to have conversations with peers who are experiencing similar issues and the ability to share coping strategies and resources.
He said there has been an uptick in interest and expects it to continue growing. AHS has also recorded a spike in calls to its mental-health and addictions help lines — used by Albertans of all ages. As Secord put it, there is no “manual or guidebook” to direct people, especially youths, through the pandemic.
“It's really going to be about listening to ourselves, what's going on in our own bodies, paying attention to that and taking care of ourselves the best that we can,” she said. “I definitely think that the roller-coaster we're on is something that we can support each other through.”