Psychologists in Quebec are seeing an increase in distress among people who consult them.
A recent survey conducted by the Ordre des psychologues du Québec of its members, both public and private, says 86 per cent of respondents reported an increase.
Psychologists report the distress has manifested as higher anxiety and a 70–per-cent rise in depressive symptoms.
They also saw a 56-per-cent increase in urgent requests and issues related to concentration, memory and attention.
The president of the order, Christine Grou, fears the report is only the tip of the iceberg.
She said nearly 70 per cent of psychologists who responded to the survey claimed to have received feedback from former clients whose condition has weakened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quebec is going through an unprecedented crisis, Grou said, and its psychological impacts, especially on vulnerable people, are major. As the problems intensify and become more complex, we must act now to prevent the worst, she said.