The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health released the results of the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey yesterday, and they’re pretty grim. Since the first survey of students in Grades 7 to 12 from 181 Ontario schools was conducted in 1991, the number of students who rate their own health as poor has increased substantially. Thirty percent of students report psychological distress, from unhappiness to sleep deprivation. “This percentage represents about 327,000 students — a staggering number — and the rate increases with grade,” said Dr. Robert Mann, lead investigator of the study and senior scientist at CAMH, although he noted more students than ever are consulting someone for mental health issues. Also of concern is gambling — 43% of students say they do it — and bullying, which is perennially prevalent, although Grade 7 students reported a significant decrease. “We know these experiences can have long-term mental health consequences,” said Dr. David Wolfe, Director of CAMH’s Centre for Prevention Science. “The younger we educate kids on the effects of their behaviour, the better off they will be.” But kids aren’t learning the other part of the health equation.
“There is a definite connection between physical well-being and mental health,” says Mann, referring to the 14% of students who report their physical health to be poor and the 25% who are considered overweight or obese.
The survey points to an increase in sedentary lifestyles. Of the respondents, 10% said they spend seven hours a day watching TV, using computers or playing video games, which can result in preoccupation or withdrawal.
Via: nationalpost.com