For anyone who has been feeling less optimistic than usual lately, you are not alone.
According to a recent and ongoing study by Maru Group, 68% of Ontarians have become more pessimistic during the third wave than the same time last year, believing that "things will get worse before they get better" where they live — the overall toll on mental health throughout the pandemic has been 53% negative, the study says.
Maru's Feel, Behave, Think COVID Tracker shows that many Ontarians have been feeling more negative than positive emotions for over a year; in April 2021, emotions were 63% negative and 37% positive. Ontarians are feeling slightly worse than Canadians in other provinces and nearly 20% worse than Americans.
The study also reveals that many Ontarians don't see the province going back to normal this year. For example, 36% don't see going to the movies as an option until 2022, and 18% say 2023 or later.
In another part of the study, many reported feeling frustrated, anxious and bored. However, there are some positive emotions being felt too, with 35% of respondents reporting feeling fortunate.
