Brad Moser (Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs on YouTube)

By Justin Goulet

Psychologist talks mental health during pandemic at SACPA meeting

Oct 8, 2020 | 11:11 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The global pandemic has put a focus on mental health over the last few months.

Brad Moser, a registered psychologist at Associates Counselling Services, spoke virtually at the Thursday Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) meeting.

Moser talked about Mental Illness Awareness Week, which is currently on until October 11.

He also discussed the differences between mental illness and mental health and how COVID-19 has impacted people’s mental health.

Moser said many are unaware of the differences between mental health and mental illness.

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“Mental illnesses are health conditions that are diagnosable. They are health conditions where there’s an impairment in one’s emotional, mental or behavioral wellbeing, and they cause distress in one’s social, work or family life,” he explained.

“According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, every year, one to five people will personally experience a mental illness in their life, so chances are, either you have a mental illness or somebody you know and care about deeply has a mental illness or will have one in their lifetime.”

He said although only one in five people will be diagnosed with a mental illness, everyone is affected by their mental health.

COVID-19

Moser has split up the impact of COVID-19 on mental health into six different categories:

• How it has created stress in one’s life
• How it’s created grief and loss in one’s life
• The behavioural symptoms of mental health
• Mental health symptoms
• How COVID-19 has affected one’s family relationships
• Overwhelming themes that have been present in the last seven months

He said plenty of people have suffered from severe stress due to the pandemic, including financial and emotional stress.

He noted many people have lost their jobs and face uncertainty when it comes to their finances.

“It’s also affected our relationships because it’s put a lot of strain on our relationships. We’ve had to stay disconnected from a lot of people because we can’t see as many people [and] travel has been difficult,” Moser said.

“It’s also affected our routines and lifestyles…it’s also affected school…and now that school has started again for our children, we’ve been out in the dilemma of whether we should home-school them or take the risk and let them go back to school.”

He said both parents and their children are feeling the stress of the pandemic and changes that have come from COVID-19.

“It’s also affected high-risk populations and I don’t think that’s talked about enough,” he noted.

“High-risk populations are people over the age of 60 and people who have underlying medical conditions, and they are at a really high risk of loneliness and isolation. It’s affected people of all ages, from all walks of life, all of us have been affected.”

He added people that have had to change significant life events, such as weddings, have had their mental health tested.

Moser’s full presentation to SACPA can be viewed below, courtesy of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs on YouTube.