A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, our collective mental health is suffering. Around 40 percent of Canadians say their mental health has deteriorated since March 2020, a recent survey from the Canadian Mental Health Association found.

Between anxiety over contracting COVID-19 and fear of losing a loved one, to feelings of sadness and isolation due to pandemic-related lockdowns, the need for mental health support has never been more evident. The dark winter months have added to mental health distress. 

“January is a very busy period for mental health providers generally,” said Dr. Sylvain Roy, a rehabilitation neuropsychologist and past president of the Ontario Psychological Association (OPA). “Now with this pandemic… a lot of psychologists are reporting an increase in volume for their services because everyone is reaching out at the same time.”

In March, Think Research partnered with the OPA so that psychologists across the province had access to our VirtualCare platform, allowing them to continue to deliver support online. Dr. Roy spoke to Think Research about the mental health implications of the pandemic and how teletherapy can help Canadians. Here’s what he had to say. 

Can you speak to some of the ways that the pandemic is affecting our well-being?

In the beginning, all of us had hoped that by summer it would be done. But now it’s been almost a year and the reality is that it hasn’t been easy on anyone. There’ve been folks impacted by the loss of employment, some people have been stuck at home trying to be a teacher and at the same time have a career, and frontline providers are struggling because some of them are seeing the worst of the worst. Our call centers, the different call lines available for suicide prevention, and the Kids Help Phone have all reported increases in call volume. The reality is that services are as stretched as ever and the demand is increasing. 

What about for people with pre-existing mental health issues? Have pandemic-related closures made it harder for them to seek support?

I think there’s been some improvements in regard to reaching more people. In February before the pandemic hit, only a quarter of us mental health psychologists were using virtual care. As of April or May, we were at 85 percent. The adoption of technology was great, and that aspect has been good for psychotherapy because now we’re reaching people in areas of the province that may not have had therapists before. 

That said, a lot of folks who have pre-existing conditions were already struggling, then the pandemic hit and their appointments were cancelled — and a lot of in-person visits still are. There’s some things that require in-person visits, like injections, for example, for folks who have psychotic disorders. They can still get them, but it may be more of a challenge. Emergency departments are open, but a lot of outpatient programs have gone online. 

People at the intersection of poverty or who may not have the benefits they need to seek [private] care have to rely on hospitals and outpatient programs that are very sluggish, as opposed to others who have good benefits and can see a [private] psychologist pretty rapidly. There’s some inequities happening in the system. 

What are some ways people can help their mental health right now?

Exercise is one: Walking outside and getting fresh air and working out where possible. Sleep hygiene is another, so waking up at a regular time everyday and attempting to get at least seven hours of sleep for adults and nine to 11 hours for children. Have daily routines and attempt to have a good diet and not overdo it on drugs and alcohol; alcohol and drug use can worsen mental and cognitive health with chronic and heavy use. 

Have alone time, which can include getting groceries, doing activities that are enjoyable, as well as social time, like calling friends or family. Focus on the here and now (not dwell on things outside your control, the future, or the past).

There’s also clinical resources. Essential workers with minimal or no coverage can call 211 to connect to a psychologist if needed. MindBeacon is internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and is funded by the Ontario government, and Wellness Together Canada is funded by the federal government.

It’s clear telemedicine and virtual care plays a significant role in mental health support. How important is it going to be for more providers to adopt those tools as we get further into the pandemic?

It’s going to be critical. And frankly, we should have been there five years ago without the pandemic. The reality is most practitioners in any province are in large urban centers. About three million people in Ontario have no access to psychologists in their communities. It is even worse for psychiatry and pediatrics, because those providers are often in larger urban centers in hospital environments. So with virtual care, if you’re in Thunder Bay, Kapuskasing or North Bay, for example, you might have medical services there, but if you need something more, virtual care gives you that access.

Post-pandemic, do you think virtual therapy is here to stay?

Even if the pandemic ends tomorrow, I don’t think people are going to go back to in-person therapy the way it was before. I wouldn’t be surprised if we stay at 75 percent virtual and 25 percent in-person moving forward. 

Think Research’s VirtualCare tool supports hundreds of mental health professionals to continue providing care remotely during the pandemic. Learn more about it here. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.