For Indigenous Teens, Pandemic Lockdowns Challenge Mental Health

Indigenous peoples make up nearly 5% of Canada's population, and disparities in young peoples' educational and recreational opportunities are acute.Housing is inadequate on many reserves with some remote communities cut off from the rest of Canada for weeks or months during the year.Among Canada's First Nations' youth, depression and suicide is already over 3 times the average of non-indigenous people.CNN reports the pandemic is adding a layer of risk to young indigenous lives. Government officials say the impact on mental health may linger for years.For months this year, children, parents, and entire rural, indigenous communities were left without the support they had fought so hard to establish.Living in a reserve it gets depressing over time. You begin to feel isolated, you find yourself parting ways with your friends. It takes a huge toll on your health. Farrah Dixon Norway House Cree Nation, Manitoba, Canada