Five signs that may indicate you need
additional support
TORONTO, June 1, 2020 /CNW/ - Canadians navigating
COVID-19 are turning to family and friends to help them manage
their mental health. In a recent survey by Sun Life, over half
(56%) of Canadians surveyed said COVID-19 is negatively impacting
their mental health. Of those respondents, less than half (42%) are
currently seeking treatment or support.
For the respondents receiving treatment or support, they are
managing their mental health by:
- Reaching out to friends and family (64%)
- Keeping busy at home (62%)
- Accessing self-help (e.g. online or other resources) (40%)
- And, seeking medical advice or treatment (31%)
"As Canadians continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we're
here to help them," said Jacques
Goulet, President, Sun Life Canada and Lumino Health. "Just
as we manage our fitness and nutrition, we need to manage our
mental well-being. It's more important than ever to check in on
yourself, and get the support you need before you have a serious
mental health concern. We're making it easier for all Canadians to
manage their mental health through our Lumino Health platform."
When it comes to how Canadians are managing their mental health,
the Sun Life survey found differences across gender and age groups.
For example, 45% of negatively impacted women said they are
receiving treatment or support compared to only 38% of
men.
Impacted Canadians 18-34 years of age managing their mental
heath are the most likely to use self-help resources (52%), but are
the least likely to access medical advice and treatment (25%). In
comparison, only 20% of those 55 years of age and older are using
self-help resources, but they are the most likely to access medical
advice and treatment (54%).
Identifying the right support for you
With less than half of impacted Canadians receiving support or
treatment, understanding when to seek professional help is more
important than ever.
"Having a strong social network and talking with friends or
family can be very therapeutic but sometimes more help may be
needed," said Dr. Sam Mikail,
Director, Mental Health Solutions. "It's important to understand
how you are feeling and know the warning signs. Working with a
health care practitioner can equip you with strategies to manage
your mental health."
Dr. Mikail recommends talking to a mental health professional if
you are experiencing any of the following for longer than two
weeks:
- Feeling sad, angry, or "not yourself"
- Eating or sleeping more or less than usual
- Withdrawing from family and friends
- Using drugs, alcohol, or food as a means of coping
- Having difficulty working through the loss of someone important
to you
A variety of resources including self-assessments are available
on Lumino Health. This free platform available to all Canadians is
a great place to explore support options. Lumino Health can direct
you to resources that will meet your specific needs and provide
access to counselling by phone, text or live chat. Look for the
'virtual visits' icon to easily identify health care providers who
offer virtual care.
About the survey
The survey is based on findings of an
Ipsos poll conducted between April 29 and
May 1, 2020. A sample of 1,000 Canadians was drawn from the
Ipsos I-Say online panel aged 18 and older. The data for Canadians
surveyed was weighted to ensure the sample's regional, age, and
gender composition reflects that of the actual Canadian
population.
The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a
credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within
+/- 3.5% at 95% confidence level had all Canadian adults been
polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other
sources of error, including, but not limited to methodological
change, coverage error and measurement error.
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international
financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and
asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun
Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong
Kong, the Philippines,
Japan, Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life
had total assets under management of $1,023
billion. For more information, please visit
www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars
Media Relations Contact:
Meredith Mundick
Manager, Corporate Communications
T. 416-979-4048
meredith.mundick@sunlife.com
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.