ConnexOntario provides free, 24/7 access to reliable
information about mental health, gambling, and addiction services for children, youth, adults, and seniors.
Many people are feeling stressed these days over tense social and political world issues. For some, dealing with this worry and uncertainty is also contributing to anxiety or depression, making it hard to cope with everyday life.
The steady stream of news supplied by social media, alerts on our phones, and 24-hour news stations only makes this more difficult. In fact, one study during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic found an association between the amount of exposure to news on social media and more depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.
When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol. This is the hormone that gives you the energy to get up and fight or to run away to a safe place.
When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol. This is the hormone that gives you the energy to get up and fight or to run away to a safe place. But when you’re constantly exposed to stress, you become physically and emotionally exhausted.
Helping you cope
But there are steps you can take to help you cope. When it comes to social media, you can turn off notifications, limit the time you spend consuming news each day, and build tech-free time into your day. To feel more in control, you can volunteer in areas related to causes that are important to you.
Exercising, practising mindfulness, and staying connected with family and friends can also help. In addition, if news surrounding social and political causes is affecting your mental health, it’s important to seek help.
ConnexOntario provides 24/7 access, 365 days a year, to reliable information about mental health, gambling, and addiction services for children, youth, adults, and seniors. Funded by the Ontario government, ConnexOntario can assist you in finding services — for you or a loved one — right in your community from a database of more than 5,000 programs.
Service provided in more than 130 languages
ConnexOntario is free and available through confidential phone, chat, texting, and email and can provide service in more than 130 languages, including live translation of web chats and text messages.
When you place a call or send a message to ConnexOntario, you’re connected with a trained professional who asks for information about your concerns to provide the right support. They listen without judgment and then recommend or refer to local programs, such as treatment services, crisis lines, self-help groups, or distress centres.
Sometimes you’ll be referred directly to a service, while for others, you’ll receive contact information and help with the referral process. Team members will also listen,
offer support and basic education, and help you get started with coping strategies.
The ConnexOntario website features blogs, a service directory, and information on its partnerships, such as Good2Talk, which is a free, confidential helpline that provides professional counselling, mental health and addictions information, and connections to local resources for post-secondary students.
If you’re struggling to deal with difficult social and political issues, ConnexOntario is available to provide support and free services for all.
To learn more about 24/7 health care information and access to free and confidential support and services, visit connexontario.ca.
