The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says the psychological distress experienced by youths appears to have decreased since the pandemic, but it still remains high. According to the center’s report, called the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, 46 per cent of youths in grades 7 to 12 reported a “moderate to serious level” of psychological distress in 2025. “I think this is one data point among many that we follow as Public Health that tells us that being a young adolescent is not easy today,” said Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, associate medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph. “It’s very important we follow how young people are doing in our community, pay extra attention to them, and offer the supports they may need. This is continuously changing as the world around them is changing.” He is, however, optimistic about the future. “Some of the worsening indicators that got particularly bad during the pandemic have been moving in the opposite direction,” Tenenbaum said. “For example, only about 30 per cent of students who were surveyed reported either fair or poor mental health.” He called the drop, from 38 to 30 per cent, a substantial reduction. “However, that 30 per cent number is still quite high,” added Tenenbaum. “That’s one in three students who are saying they’re in poor mental health.” The report also revealed a dramatic rise in online gambling. It indicated one in 10 students placed sports bets in 2025, compared to one in 100 back in 2017. “There are many new and easy ways for students to get involved in gambling than there previously were,” Tenenbaum said. Almost 25 per cent of students reported seeing or hearing advertising for online gambling sites on a daily basis, according to the report. Data about gambling collected in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph also aligns with the report’s findings. Officials said parents and families need to watch for signs of a developing problem. “Just starting a conversation, asking your child to open up can be a really important step,” Tenenbaum suggested. “Knowing that you are there as a support to them can be really helpful for the young person to know, when they are ready to share.” A total of 11,108 students participated in the online survey between December 2024 and June 2025. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health said the results were gathered from 1,147 classes, in 246 schools, across 42 school boards. Resources for parents can be found on the website for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
