There are many factors that affect your mental health, but have you ever thought about the important role geography can play?
America’s mental health crisis is harming different people across the country for different reasons.Healthcare staffing company Soliant Health has released its 2023 survey and rankings of U.S. states on happiness and mental health, from best to worst.
Here are the top 10 best states to live in when it comes to mental health.
- Nebraska.
- Connecticut.
- Massachusetts.
- Minnesota.
- Rhode Island.
- New Jersey.
- Vermont.
- Colorado.
- North Dakota.
- Utah.
To determine where each state falls in the rankings, researchers looked at the number of mental health providers in the area, the suicide rate (ages 15-25), and the number of “bad mental health days” people experience. We looked at factors such as frequency and unemployment rate. rate and violent crime. Additional factors such as air pollution and exercise were also highlighted.
According to the report, West Virginia ranked 50th with “the highest average number of mentally unhealthy days reported by residents in the past 30 days,” followed by Alabama and Arkansas.
The impact of socio-economic status on mental health
Mental health issues can interact with social issues in complex ways.
according to Axios“Addressing the root causes of mental and behavioral health crises requires consideration of a wide range of socio-economic and health factors, and often means addressing broader social inequalities. ”
Struggles with mental health are often exacerbated in low-income communities due to a complex interplay of individual, social, economic, and organizational factors.
Studies show that lack of education is associated with a potential lifetime drug overdose. JAMA Network found.
“As the opioid crisis shifts to fentanyl and polysubstance use, overdose deaths may become more prevalent among lower socio-economic status groups, further exacerbating existing life expectancy disparities,” the study says. states.
of American Addiction Center Approximately 22% of people with anxiety disorders report self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to cope with their symptoms.
What risks are young people at risk?
The Soliant Health report said “lonely youth” played a significant role in each state’s rankings.
“Young people who are isolated are at increased risk of violence, alcohol and drug use, emotional deficiencies and are at increased risk of poor mental health.” report Said.
Additionally, “this correlation is further supported by several studies showing increased rates of unemployment, poverty, and mental health disorders among isolated youth.”
Orphaned youth include children who are “homeless, in foster care, not participating in the justice system, or not enrolled in employment or educational institutions,” making up the majority of the 14- to 24-year-old youth population. It is said that it accounts for approximately 6.7 million people.of US Department of Agriculture.
Not only do isolated young people struggle with personal support, but they also pose economic and political challenges to society if they are unable to fulfill their potential as active contributors.
This may arise from the fact that they are more likely to be dependent on government assistance and may be involved in criminal activity.
“Six of the 10 states with the lowest rates of isolated youth also ranked in the top 10 overall states for best mental health.” Soliant Health.
How is medical care helping?
said Donald J. Parker, president of Behavioral Health Transformation Services at Hackensack Meridian Health. fox news More work needs to be done in schools to teach young people from an early age how to cope with and strengthen their mental health.
“Our hospital network just recently began working with the Teen Suicide Prevention Association to identify signs of potential suicidal behavior when children come to the emergency room and to help prevent suicide. We’ve trained 2,000 nurses to provide the right service. Do no harm,” Parker said.
She added: “This idea, which is gaining increasing attention in mental health care, is to take a more holistic approach to mental health, rather than a purely reactive response.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or online chat at: 988lifeline.org.
