In the last 18 months, there has been a rise in the number of cases related to anxiety and depression in Canada. Individuals are concerned about the future, balancing home and work life with the added stresses caused by the pandemic, facing the uncertainty of returning to school and the workplace, and the surge in the Delta variant cases. The increased alert for safety and security and uncertainty about the future has had a rippling effect on individuals’ overall wellbeing.

Natasha Molinaro, Director of Clinical Service Delivery, explains how the aftermath of the pandemic has left a crisis of a different kind – mental health. “We were dealing with the pandemic when it first started but now, we’re dealing with a mental health pandemic because the aftermath is what we’ve had to experience. It’s now really surfacing. We are seeing a lot of individuals calling in who need support to deal with anxiety and depression,” says Molinaro, “Feelings of anxiety and depression may not have been so apparent when the pandemic first began because there was so much going on and also because the world came to a halt. It wasn’t a time to really think about what we were feeling and acknowledging those feelings. But now more than ever, mental health is really taking a hit.”

Major depression affects approximately 5.4 percent of the Canadian population on average while anxiety disorders affect 4.6 percent of the Canadian population. However, statistics indicate significant declines in mental wellbeing has been observed among all employment groups compared to pre-COVID among Canadians. Those who reported poor mental health are now up to four times more likely to report increased substance use since the pandemic began. Prior to COVID, 14 percent of Canadians reported consuming cannabis, but since the pandemic, Canadians reported an increase in not only cannabis but alcohol and tobacco consumption.

Parents, especially, have had more concerns to tackle as kids and adolescents have had to adapt to unprecedented changes. “Parents are seeking support for their children because of the anxiety they are experiencing regarding the state of the world right now,” says Molinaro, “We are starting to see the backlash of everything that’s happened as cases of depression and anxiety are increasing, and some adolescents and young adults feel they’ve completely missed out on so much over the past year and are really struggling to cope with those changes.”

The Benefits of Holistic Care

The pandemic has certainly blurred the lines between work and life and what was considered normal day-today living. Holistic care looks at many factors contributing to an individual’s sense of wellbeing to get to the root cause of an issue. Past medical history, traumatic events, relationships, work and home environments and one’s mental and physical ability to cope and balance the obstacles and struggles in life are all contributing factors to wellbeing. When one aspect of life becomes difficult to cope with, it can have an adverse effect on all other aspect’s of an individual’s overall wellbeing. Holistic care takes into consideration the physical, psychological and emotional factors when treating a particular concern. A holistic approach can be beneficial in the long-term when alleviating anxiety and depression.

Molinaro recounts a story of how one particular individual called in for support as she was going through a separation and struggling emotionally with that process. “During the initial conversation we had to better understand the situation, we found out that she had also started smoking because she was overwhelmed with work and trying to cope with the changes in her personal life,” said Molinaro, “When we look at our holistic approach to providing care, there were many services that we could provide to this individual and others like her to address each pain point. In this particular case, we connected her with the wellness team to help her cut back and quit smoking. She also received psychological support to help her deal with the anxiety she was experiencing due to her separation.”

Since the pandemic has disrupted processes and changed how we view our wellbeing, having access to holistic care and support can be beneficial for individuals in empowering them to prioritise their mental health so they can be successful in their personal and professional lives. Molinaro emphasises the importance for people to reach out and get connected with a professional when they need support. “Through holistic care, we can support employees emotionally, physically and psychologically and give them the tools and resources they need to not only take care of their mental health, but thrive in all aspects of their life.”