Ont. mental health survey reveals increasing rates of mental distress, suicide ideation

Mental health problems among adults are on the rise, according to the latest CAMH Monitor survey, the longest ongoing study of adult mental health and substance use in the province. Significant findings of the survey show that, between 2016 and 2017:

• Self-rated reports of fair or poor mental health increased from 7.1% to 10.1%;
• The proportion reporting frequent mental distress in the past month increased from 7.4% to 11.7%, an increase prominent among women; and
• Thoughts about suicide almost doubled to 4.1%, representing about 426,900 adults.

The CAMH says the findings are consistent with what’s been reported from the CAMH Emergency Department, where visits have increased by 70% over the past five years. In terms of substance abuse, the report shows a continuation in a long-term trend towards increased cannabis use, which has more than doubled in the last 20 years. The highest increase was among 18 to 29 year-olds, which went from 18.3% in 1996 to to 39.1%.