Opioid deaths skyrocket, mental health suffers due to pandemic restrictions, new federal report says | CBC News

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on Canadians suffering from mental illness, opioid addiction and other substance abuse problems, says a new study released today by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) which confirms anecdotal reports warning that the pandemic's health consequences extend well beyond the novel coronavirus itself.

While Canada made meaningful progress in reducing the rate of overdoses in 2018-19, the number of deaths has increased significantly since the start of this year.

In B.C., there were more than 100 "illicit drug toxicity" deaths per month for six consecutive months from March to August 2020, and more than 175 such deaths each month in May, June and July, according to data compiled by PHAC.

First Nations people account for a disproportionate number of these deaths — they were nearly six times more likely to die from an overdose than other B.C.

paramedics responded to a record high number of overdose calls — a 75 per cent spike in calls compared to the same month last year.

Preliminary data from Ontario also show that the number of confirmed and probable deaths from opioid-related causes has increased by almost 50 per cent, from 148 deaths in January to 220 deaths in May.

Alberta also experienced a dramatic increase in opioid-related deaths in the three-month period from April to June 2020 — 302 deaths, up from the previously recorded high of 211 deaths in a three-month period in 2018.

Physical distancing measures at safe-consumption sites designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 also resulted in more opioid-related deaths.

By early summer, based on surveys by Statistics Canada, alcohol consumption was up 19 per cent, cannabis use jumped 8.3 per cent and tobacco smoking rates were up by 3.9 per cent over pre-pandemic levels.

In 2018, 68 per cent of Canadians age 15 years and older reported excellent or very good self-perceived mental health.

This figure dropped to 54 per cent in late March and early April 2020 before going lower still to 48 per cent in early May, according to Statistics Canada data.

70 per cent of Canadians who responded to a recent Statistics Canada survey said they were concerned about maintaining social ties.

While thousands of Canadians have died from COVID-19 — nearly 80 per cent of them in long-term care homes, as of August — there were also more deaths in general this year than last.

"Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec all showed increased numbers of deaths compared to the same time period over the past five years.

More than 60 per cent of Canadians reported spending more time using the internet and watching TV during the pandemic in early April.

"Limited physical activity as a result of public health measures to physically isolate may also have an impact on mental health.