Screenshot. KCDSB Board Meeting
Statistics from the Kenora Catholic District School Board, which oversees operation of St. John School in Red Lake, confirms mental issues are going up during COVID-19.
Mental Health Lead Sue Devlin says at both the elementary and secondary level they saw similar increases.
“Our mental health referrals more than doubled, in some cases tripled this school year,” says Devlin.
“By far our number one referral reason was dealing with stress and worries and we found that kids who struggled pre-pandemic were experiencing more significant symptoms.”
Devlin adds there was also an unexpected symptom of stress caused by COVID-19.
“Something we did not foresee coming was the rise in eating disorders. They have significantly increased and this could be because for many eating is a form of control so when the world is out of control, so the one thing you have control over, you really grasp onto that.”
Devlin says statistics also show that eating disorders, opioid deaths, and calls to the Kids Help Line have all gone up in the past year in Ontario.
