Jarring Study Results Show Deteriorating Mental Health of Ontario Youth | Globalnews.ca

More than half of Ontario’s middle and high school students say they experience significant psychological distress, a rate that has doubled over the past decade, new research shows.

More than 10,000 7-12 A survey of students in the first grade highlights an alarming decline in youth mental health, the Toronto Center for Addiction and Mental Health announced Wednesday.

Data collected from 235 schools in Ontario between November 2022 and June 2023 also show that 19 per cent of students surveyed engaged in self-harm in the past year and 18 per cent had serious suicidal thoughts in the past year.

“The picture is that students are struggling,” said Hayley Hamilton, lead author of the study and co-director of CAMH’s Mental Health Policy Research Institute.

“Many students in Ontario struggle with mental health issues and rate their ability to cope with these challenges as only fair or poor.”

The latest survey, which has been conducted every two years since 1977 to measure the health and drug use of Ontario students, shows that a third of students said they needed mental health support from a professional but had never sought help. Some said they could handle the problem themselves, while others worried what others thought or were simply “too busy.”

“We know that young people’s mental health is worse now than it’s ever been. But I think it’s pretty staggering to actually see the numbers,” said Alexia Polillo, a researcher at CAMH who studies social media use.

While the vast majority of students surveyed said they use social media every day, and 78 percent said they spend three or more hours a day in front of a screen, Polillo said there is not enough data to conclude that time spent online has caused increased stress. .

For 17-year-old Olivia Tocher, climate change, job insecurity and the high cost of living are among the stressors that led the teenager to seek help from CAMH for anxiety and depression.

“We’re just a generation that’s grown up in a world where we’re constantly being told that our future is scary,” Tocher, a CAMH youth counselor, said in an interview.

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The survey found that about 18 percent of students are very or very concerned about climate change, while 45 percent said the issue makes them feel depressed about the future.

“We need a future to look forward to,” Tocher said. “We are capable, but we still need support.”

The latest study showed some positive developments, highlighting a “significant decline” in youth drug use over several decades and a steady decline in alcohol use over the past 25 years.

Seventeen percent of students said they had used cannabis in the past year, a decline since 2019, according to the data, which also showed a decline in vaping.

But for the first time, female students are using cannabis, vaping and drinking more than male students, the survey found.

While more research is needed to understand this trend, “it may speak to increased pressure on girls,” said Dr. Leslie Buckley, chief of addictions at CAMH.

WHERE TO GET HELP

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 988. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in a crisis, call 911 or your local 911.

&copy 2024 The Canadian Press