A person's overall well-being is influenced by many factors such as financial standing and safety, but where an individual lives can also play a vital role in the state of their mental health and ability to receive treatment.
Universal Drugstore, an online pharmacy, conducted an analysis that ranked the best and worst states to live in for mental health. The study evaluated various factors, including the prevalence of mental health issues, the use of prescription medication for treatment, the number of psychologists and beds available at mental health facilities, and the proportion of adults who could not afford treatment.
Worst States To Live in for Mental Health
1. Nevada
Nevada topped the list as the worst state for mental health. The state ranked within the top five states with the highest number of poor mental health days and the highest number of youths that had experienced at least one depressive episode. It also had one of the fewest counseling psychologists employed per 100,000 people.
Overall Mental Health Score: 2.06
2. Oregon
Ranking second on the list is Oregon. The state has the highest number of youths experiencing depressive episodes out of all states in the U.S. (19%). It also has one of the highest amount of adults with mental illness (24%).
Overall Mental Health Score: 2.89
3. Oklahoma
Oklahoma ranked third on Universal Drugstore's list, with at least 23% of adults experiencing mental illness and 17% of youths suffering from depressive episodes. More than half (54%) of the state's residents also could not receive treatment. Additionally, Oklahoma had one of the fewest clinical and counseling psychologists employed per 100,000 people, with only nine across the state, the study noted.
Overall Mental Health Score: 2.94
Other states included in the list are Arizona (with an overall score of 3.40), Washington (3.54), Texas (3.66), Alabama (3.97), Louisiana (4.09), Georgia (4.26), and New Mexico (4.31).
The researchers analyzed data acquired from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Mental Health America, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for the study.
