Why are we so stressed? Sure, there are a lot of things to be stressed about. But, when looking at Canadians overall, Albertans appear to be the MOST stressed.
We are also drinking more than other Canadians during the pandemic, and we are above the national average when it comes to binge-watching TV. We also appear to be highly bothered by some of our partners' 'quarantine quirks.'
Now, I didn't just make this stuff up. The results of a survey put together by Finder Canada were released a few weeks ago. I know, it's just another survey, but I found this one to be pretty interesting... and maybe a bit entertaining too.
So, here are some fun facts - 20 per cent of Albertans are reporting they are drinking more than any other province during COVID, versus the national average of 14 per cent.
An impressive 37 per cent of Albertans are getting through the pandemic by binge-watching TV, versus the national average of 30 per cent.
Cabin-fever is proving to be a real thing too, with over half of Albertans who responded to the survey saying it's their biggest stressor (women are also more likely to be stressed by cabin-fever than men).
And this brings me back to the start of this column - Albertans (on average) are reported to be the most stressed out Canadians. Almost 40 per cent of Albertans are reporting they are stressed. Next up are Manitobans, followed by Ontarians.
So what happens when we are stressed? Well, we break up.
Over 4.6 million Canadian couples (or 15 per cent) have broken up during the pandemic.
And another fun fact, the survey shows that men aren't impressed by women who have turned to wearing lounge wear during the pandemic. As a whole, men are more bothered (61 per cent) by their partner's 'quarantine quirks' than women (46 per cent) - quarantine quirks are described as new behaviours that have started since the lockdown began in 2020.
The hardest hit demographic of break-ups looks to be among young people. A quarter of people between the ages of 18 and 24 years old who responded to the survey reported a pandemic break-up.
Honestly, I have no idea why Albertans are more stressed out than other Canadians. We all face our own unique challenges, have our own personal beliefs, and most of us spend too much time on social media. Some days, I feel stressed. Life has been more than just a little weird for the past 12 months, but as the sun shines brighter for longer each day, I'm feeling that stress melt away like the snow.
I'm hopeful and willing to keep my head held high. I'm trying to be realistic, and thankful for what I have - even if that means my wardrobe is now primarily made up of pants that are stretchy, have a drawstring, and are perfect for working from home. Thankfully my husband seems to be OK with it.
Overall, I'm OK. I'm fine. And I'm trying not to be stressed.
