(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

A new survey of Canadians is finding people are even more fatigued and anxious due to the pandemic.

The Angus Reid Institute survey said one-in-three Canadians report they are struggling with their mental health.

This represents an increase from the one-quarter who said so in November, prior to Omicron becoming the dominant COVID-19 variant in Canada, according to a press release issued by the organization. 

When asked to summarize their feelings in recent weeks, half, 48%, of Canadians say they’ve been feeling “fatigued,” while two-in-five, 40%, say they’ve been frustrated, and another two-in-five, 37%, say they’ve been feeling anxious. One out of 10 said they were happy, at 12%, and 23% reported they were depressed.

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"The arrival of Omicron was a significant blow to Canadians’ mental health. Not only did its spread coincide with the holiday season forcing many to re-evaluate holiday plans to factor in the infectious variant, it also extended the timeline of the pandemic, making many wonder when the end will be," reads the release from Angus Reid. Half of Canadians surveyed don’t believe 2022 is the last year of the pandemic.

Overall, 30% of Canadians said they speak regularly about their mental health with friends friends or family, but these conversations are particularly rare among men 55 and older. Just 11% in that demographic group say they talk to their friends about how they’re feeling, while one-quarter, 23%, talk to family.

Women between the ages of 18 and 54 are much more likely to have this type of discourse, though fewer than half say this is a regular part of their life, the survey said.

These conversations take on more importance when considering additional data in the study. One-in-three Canadians (35%) say that depression and anxiety are a major problem within their social circle; another half (48%) say it’s an issue they’re exposed to.

Further, for those who perceive this as a challenge for their friends and loved ones, fully two-thirds, 66%, say it has worsened during the pandemic. These same trends are noted for those who perceive people in their social circle dealing with addictions and alcoholism.

Seven per cent of Canadians say they are “barely getting by” when it comes to their mental health in dealing with the pandemic, more than double the number measured at any point since October 2020.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted the online survey from Jan. 18 to 20, among a representative randomized sample of 1,509 Canadian adults.

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