Fast Facts about Mental Illness
Who is affected?
70% of mental health problems have their onset during childhood or adolescence. Mental illness indirectly affects all Canadians at some time through a family member, friend or colleague.
In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness. One year into the pandemic, 1 in 5 of us report high levels of mental distress.
Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.
By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
Men have higher rates of addiction than women, while women have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders.
Mental and physical health are linked. People with a long-term medical condition such as chronic pain are much more likely to also experience mood disorders.
At least 20% of people with a mental illness have a co-occurring substance use problem.
Canadians in the lowest income group are 3 to 4 times more likely than those in the highest income group to report poor to fair mental health.
Studies in various Canadian cities indicate that between 23% and 67% of homeless people report having a mental illness.
A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses.
How common is it?
According to the World Health Organization, around 450 million people currently struggle with mental illness, making it the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Mental illness is a leading cause of disability in Canada.
About 4,000 Canadians per year die by suicide—an average of almost 11 suicides a day.15 It affects people of all ages and backgrounds.
Schizophrenia affects 1% of the Canadian population.
Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24-year-olds and 16% among 25-44-year-olds.
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.
How does it impact youth?
Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.
It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder – the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.
34% of Ontario high-school students indicate a moderate-to-serious level of psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression). 14% indicate a serious level of psychological distress
In 2016, suicide accounted for 19% of deaths among youth aged 10 to 14, 29% among youth aged 15 to 19, and 23% among young adults aged 20-24.
After accidents, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 15-24.
Once depression is recognized, help can make a difference for 80% of people who are affected, allowing them to get back to their regular activities.
Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are ranked as the second-highest hospital care expenditure in Canada.
First Nations youth die by suicide about 5 to 6 times more often than non-Aboriginal youth. Suicide rates for Inuit youth are among the highest in the world, at 11 times the national average.
Of Canadians aged 15 or older who report having a mental health care need in the past year, one third state that their needs were not fully met.
An estimated 75% of children with mental disorders do not access specialized treatment services.
Have you considered taking a Mental Health First Aid Course? The Health Commission of Canada offers it virtually.
Mental Health First Aid is the help provided to a person developing a mental health problem, experiencing the worsening of an existing mental health problem or in a mental health crisis. Just like physical first aid is provided until medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is given until appropriate support is found or until the crisis is resolved.
What are treatment options?
Mental illnesses can be treated effectively. This site will be updated regularly with links to support services around the world.
A growing body of international evidence demonstrates that promotion, prevention, and early intervention initiatives show positive returns on investment.
General practitioners, psychiatrists and psychologists are the only health care providers who can give an official assessment with a resulting diagnosis.
The right help for each person depends on a number of factors. One type of treatment or one type of therapist may not always be able to provide you with everything you need. For instance, you may visit a spiritual adviser to talk about difficulties you are having. You may see a psychiatrist for a medication prescription. You may go to yoga or exercise classes to help you relax and feel less stressed. You may see a nutritionist to help you explore how various foods can influence your mood or thinking. Or you may find it useful to talk with your family doctor or a friend.
There are a growing number of personal testimonials from those who have sought a solution outside of the medical world (such as meditation, mindfulness training, yoga, nutritional supplements, CBD oil, or reiki) and have found varying levels of success. There is no “one” magic bullet.
Almost one-half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.
References
Mental Health Commission of Canada (2013). Making the case for investing in mental health in Canada.
Challenges and Choices. Finding Mental Health Services in Ontario
Mindful Schools
“For almost 15 years, Mindful Schools has worked to create mindful and heart-centered learning environments where all community members can thrive. We’ve trained over 70,000 individual educators, and we partner with over 500 schools each year. We’re just getting started.”
“MH LIT: Student Mental Health in Action is a series of four lessons to support the development of basic mental health knowledge and help-seeking skills. The lessons are designed for use with secondary students, focusing on building their understanding of mental health and mental illness, signs of mental health problems, and how/where to access help when needed.”
School Mental Health Ontario K-12
“The virtual field trips are a series of six lessons per division that support students’ development of stress management and coping skills. Each lesson includes a minds-on activity, a pre-recorded virtual field trip session and a consolidation activity.”
Mindfulness for Kids
“When we teach mindfulness to kids, we equip them with tools to build self-esteem, manage stress, and skillfully approach challenges. Explore our guide on how to introduce mindfulness and meditation to your children—at any age.”
Mental Health and Addictions Programs and Resources
“The Centre is working with partners across the health care system to develop programs and resources to support people who need care and their families.”
Jack.org is Canada's only charity training and empowering young leaders to revolutionize mental health.
Suicide is still the #1 leading cause of death for young people in Canada. Youth are leading the way with a menu of options to join the movement. “We’re building a community without shame. A country where all young people have the knowledge they need to take care of their own mental health. A Canada where we have the power to change systems so that those who need support access the help they deserve.”
As the nationwide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness.
Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive.
With one national office, 11 divisions in all provinces and one territory, and 75 community-based branches/regions, we provide services and supports to over 1.3 million Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers.
SickKids CCMH is part of the SickKids Mental Health Strategy, which is a road map that defines SickKids’ role and the path forward in the dynamic and complex area of mental health care delivery.
SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health is a child and youth mental health centre integrated with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). We are located in the northwest area in the City of Toronto, on Sheppard Ave. West and downtown on Jarvis St.
They offer a range of in-person and virtual mental health services for children and youth (infancy to 18) and their families, from prevention and early intervention through assessment, counselling and therapy and intensive services.
They are also connected to the continuum of mental health services for children and youth supported by SickKids: the Brain and Mental Health Program, the SickKids TeleLink Mental Health Program, the SickKids CCMH Learning Institute and our online resources through AboutKidsHealth.
Across their services and platforms, locally and provincially, the SickKids mental health enterprise provides over 63,000 clinical contacts annually. As one of the largest providers of youth mental health services in the province of Ontario, SickKids CCMH is focused on improving access to care, providing the highest quality service to kids and families and contributing to the improvement of the mental health system in Ontario.
Ensure all kids and young people get the mental health treatment they need within a high-performing system.
The team at Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) works hard to make a positive impact on families, caregivers, and members. The staff here have experience working inside and outside the provincial government on both the bureaucratic and political sides. Children’s Mental Health Ontario is governed by a Board of Directors composed of volunteers. These Directors are eligible to serve on the Board for a maximum of 2 terms that are 3-years in length. There are currently 13 Directors on the CMHO Board.
Their primary goal is to promote a coordinated and high-quality system of care that puts children, youth and families first.
The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is the national voice for mental health in Canada who envisions a country where all Canadians enjoy good mental health.
Established in 1998, CAMIMH is a member-driven alliance of 13 mental health groups comprised of health care providers and organizations that represent people with mental illness, their families and caregivers.
CAMIMH’s strategic objectives are:
- to engage Canadians in a national conversation about mental illness to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and provide insight into the services and supports available to those living with mental illness; and
- to ensure that mental health policy is placed on the national policy agenda so that persons with lived and living experience of mental illness and their families receive appropriate and timely access to care and support.
Dedicated to moving mental health forward in Canada, Bell Let’s Talk promotes awareness and action with a strategy built on 4 key pillars: Fighting the stigma, improving access to care, supporting world-class research and leading by example in workplace mental health.
n September 2010, Bell Let’s Talk began a new conversation about Canada’s mental health. At that time, most people were not talking about mental illness. But the numbers spoke volumes about the urgent need for action. Millions of Canadians, including leading personalities, engaged in an open discussion about mental illness, offering new ideas and hope for those who struggle, with numbers growing every year.
As a result, institutions and organizations large and small in every region received new funding for access, care and research from Bell Let’s Talk and from governments and corporations that have joined the cause.
Building on ten years of increased awareness and acceptance around mental health, Bell Let’s Talk is focused on engaging Canadians to take action to create positive change in mental health.
In March 2020, Bell announced the extension of the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative for a further 5 years and an increase in Bell’s total funding commitment for Canadian mental health to at least $155 million.
Supporting a Friend or Family Member with a Mental Illness. HeretoHelp is a project of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information
HeretoHelp is a project of the BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information.
We are a group of seven leading mental health and substance non-profit agencies. Since 2003, we've been working together to help people live well and better prevent and manage mental health and substance use problems. Learn more about our vision.
BC Partners’ work is funded by BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority. We also receive some additional support from the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
CAMH is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital, CAMH sets the standards for care, research, education and leading social change.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world's leading research centres in its field. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.
With a dedicated staff of more than 3,000 physicians, clinicians, researchers, educators and support staff, CAMH offers outstanding clinical care to more than 34,000 patients each year. The organization conducts groundbreaking research, provides expert training to health care professionals and scientists, develops innovative health promotion and prevention strategies, and advocates on public policy issues at all levels of government. And through our Foundation, we're working to raise tens of millions of additional dollars to fund new programs and research and augment services.
EMental Health.ca
Mental Health Services. Help and Support in Your Community
Looking for information about mental health, and where to find help? eMentalHealth.ca provides anonymous, confidential and trustworthy information, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Includes a directory of mental health services and organizations). information sheets, screening tools, information about mental health events in your area, the latest mental health news, and a research directory.