Cycle 2: Symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

February to May 2021
Data from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health^Footnote 1

The COVID-19 pandemic and stress

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected individuals, families, and communities in several ways. More than 7 out of 10 Canadians reported being negatively impacted by COVID-19. More than 2 out of 5 Canadians reported some level of distress in the past month. With social distancing and repeated lockdown measures, feelings of isolation and loneliness can increase the levels of anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and depression

Feelings of anxiety and depression are some of the most common symptoms of mental disorders.

Anxiety symptoms can include excessive and constant feelings of nervousness, as well as worry and fear. ^Footnote 2

Depression symptoms include: ^Footnote 3

lack of energy
agitation
lowering of a person’s mood

Diagnosing a disorder related to symptoms of anxiety or depression requires a trained and licensed clinician. The Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health used symptom-based screening tools to identify individuals with moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression (i.e., those who would screen positive for generalized anxiety disorder [GAD] or major depressive disorder [MDD]).^Footnote 4

Symptoms of anxiety (GAD) and depression (MDD) in Canadians 18 and over

15% of Canadians screened positive for GAD. This prevalence was:

higher among women (18%) than men (12%)
highest among those aged 18-34 (24%)
higher among women than men in these age groups:
- 2 times higher among the 18-34 age group
- 2.5 times higher among the 65 and over age group

19% of Canadians screened positive for MDD. This prevalence was:

higher among women (22%) than men (15%)
highest among those aged 18-34 (31%)
higher among women than men in these age groups:
- 1.5 times higher among the 18-34 and 35-49 age groups
- 2.5 times higher among the 65 and over age group

23% of Canadians screened positive for GAD, MDD, or both disorders.

Use of alcohol and cannabis

Compared to those who did not screen positive for GAD, MDD, or both disorders, those who screened positive were:

1.5 times more likely to report daily or almost daily heavy drinking^Footnote 5
1.5 times more likely to report increased alcohol use since the beginning of the pandemic
2 times more likely to report daily cannabis use
2.5 times more likely to report increased cannabis use since the beginning of the pandemic

Groups more likely to screen positive

The proportion of individuals screening positive for GAD, MDD, or both disorders was 1.5 times higher among:

Indigenous groups^Footnote 6
frontline workers^Footnote 7
those with decreased income due to the COVID-19 pandemic
those who experienced a traumatic event during their lifetime

As the pandemic continues, learning how to cope with stress in healthy ways is important to minimize experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs mental health support, visit Wellness Together Canada for a wide range of resources.

References and notes

Footnote 1

Statistics Canada. Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health (SCMH). 2021 (Retrieved December 2021). Available from: https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=5330.

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Footnote 2

American Psychiatric Association. Anxiety Disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). 2022 (Retrieved August 2022). Available from: https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x05_Anxiety_Disorders

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Footnote 3

American Psychiatric Association. Depressive Disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). 2022 (Retrieved August 2022). Available from: https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x04_Depressive_Disorders

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Footnote 4

The severity of anxiety and depression were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) respectively. These clinical screening tools are widely used in population health surveys to identify those who may have generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, with scores of ≥10 (i.e., moderate to severe symptoms) in the two weeks prior to completing the survey. The data reported above do not necessarily reflect a clinical diagnosis of these conditions.

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Footnote 5

Heavy drinking is defined as 4+ alcoholic drinks for women and 5+ alcoholic drinks for men in one sitting.

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Footnote 6

Indigenous groups refers to First Nations, Métis, or Inuk (Inuit). Persons living on reserves and Aboriginal settlements in the provinces were excluded from the Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health.

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Footnote 7

A frontline worker was defined as “an individual who has the potential to come in direct contact with COVID-19 by assisting those who have been diagnosed with the virus”. Examples provided were “police officers, firefighters, paramedics, nurses or doctors.”

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Date modified:: 2022-10-19

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