There is no doubt that the mental health of Canadians has been weakened during the pandemic, as noted in the article by Joël-Denis Bellavance, which appeared in the pages of The Press of May 4. 1 However, if we can qualify this increase in mental health disorders as a “pandemic”, it is important to remember that a major crisis is unfolding, in Quebec, in the shadows: that of the increase in consumption and the problems related to substances and a network that struggles to meet demand.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
The statistics show it well: the overdose crisis killed more than 26,690 people in Canada between January 2016 and September 2021.2and the last Quebec Cannabis Survey reveals that the proportion of consumers has increased by 14% since 2018.
Maison Jean Lapointe is monitoring the situation closely and has assessed the evolution of alcohol consumption during this anxiety-provoking period thanks to three surveys carried out by the firm Léger. To date, these surveys have shed light on the increase in consumption related to anxiety: more than one in 10 Quebecers who were already consuming alcohol before the pandemic consumed a greater quantity during the last three months preceding the survey. In addition, the January 2022 report shows that 43% of the adult population in Quebec would now be more anxious than in December 2020. The calculation is simple: the more I consume, the more I risk developing problems and needing aid.
Faced with services struggling to survive and growing requests for help, Maison Jean Lapointe was proactive when the pandemic hit. As early as May 2020, a virtual treatment program was launched to address compromised services and support people seeking help for substance-related issues. Despite our mobilization, the waiting lists are still long to receive assistance and funding is scarce. Yet, substance use disorders are part of the DSM-5… 3
We welcome the initiatives of the provincial and federal governments and the funds invested in mental health; these actions are necessary. On the other hand, we can only hope that support services for people with substance abuse problems will emerge from oblivion and will soon be able to benefit from these government interventions. In the meantime, we will continue, as we have done for 40 years, to make every effort to reach out to those in need.
3. The DSM-5, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorderswas published in 2015 by the American Psychiatric Association