Mental health and addictions shutdown could be learning opportunity: U of R prof

Services and programs across the Saskatchewan Health Authority had to be stopped or significantly slowed down because of COVID-19, either to follow the province’s health orders or as part of the authority’s pandemic response plan.

But it’s not just surgeries and tests; the slowdowns included many mental health and addictions programs.

Dr. Gabriela Novotna, associate professor in the faculty of social work at the University of Regina, said that could create negative outcomes for the people who rely on those services. Novotna studies substance use issues and treatment for addictions and mental health issues.

Novotna said when services for people with addictions are paused, it can have a very negative effect on them and their situation. She said there can be negative health outcomes, they can experience withdrawal, and they can start self-medicating.

“There are a lot of issues that individuals that are addicted to certain psychoactive drugs have been experiencing,” said Novotna.

She said people with mental health issues can experience problems as well, especially as the current situation could increase the number of people who need help.

“We know in western societies we have been grappling with crises of losing social connections and the need for physical distancing might have exacerbated the needs for mental health services,” explained Novotna.

Jan Thorson, executive director for Regina Mobile Crisis Services, believes the organization is busier than normal right now, although she didn’t have hard numbers to point to.

“Certainly we are seeing people who are anxious about what the future will hold. A lot of people are sort of phoning in to check up on their mental health, make sure that they’re on track,” explained Thorson.

She said for those who call in, counsellors spend time helping them feel balanced and centred again and try to assure them that everyone is responding this way to the pandemic.

In some cases, services have been able to move online. Some appointments have been held remotely and some meetings not run by the SHA, like Alcoholics Anonymous, have moved to video chats.

Lorraine is the public information chair for AA Regina. The spaces usually used for AA meetings are all closed because of the public health order against large gatherings, so many of the meetings have moved to online chats.

Lorraine said some people are having trouble with their addictions during the pandemic. She said she has been sober for a long time.

“But I find days that I’m really, really antsy and so it’s even more important for me to connect with the Zoom meeting and also other alcoholics, and to share my experience, strength, and hope with first-timers or newcomers,” Lorraine said.

She explained it’s better if you can have a one-on-one connection but the online meetings are a great alternative. She said she has heard members say they appreciate at least having the online meetings.

Novotna said this pandemic could be a learning opportunity for the health system.

“I’m sure that there are going to be lessons learned and planning in case of a situation like this (again), or really just looking at how we can increase accessibility to mental health services that have been strained already without COVID-19 …,” she said.

“I see this as the opportunity, really, to learn, as well as a responsibility to prevent and treat mental health issues in the future. So this is something for health professionals and also policy-makers to consider.”

Novotna said this is a situation where the health system can look at the gaps that were created by the pandemic or were already there, and think about a new approach to things like harm reduction or making services more accessible.

“Not just how to maintain that in-person contact and the services, but also how to make sure that people will not somehow disappear and be lost, or fall through the cracks if a crisis like this occurs,” she said.

As for those services that moved online, Novotna thinks those efforts can be made more sustainable and make them part of the system, or restructure the system in a way for it to respond to problems more quickly and more effectively.

Novotna said this should all be looked at as a responsibility toward the population — all community members including those with mental health and substance use issues.

Some of the mental health and addictions services that were put on hold have started to come back online again — things like therapeutic and day programming for small groups are being allowed again, mental health short-stay units are reopening and harm reduction services are resuming regular hours.

It’s part of the first phase of the health authority’s resumption of services, which started May 19.

At the time of publication, the SHA hadn’t responded to multiple requests for comment.