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Louisiana Facing Mental Health Crisis

Study: one in nine Louisiana adults lives with severe depression and/or anxiety and many people in the state contemplate self-harm.

A new survey finds that there is a statewide epidemic involving mental health in Louisiana. The findings come from researchers at the Newcomb Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans.
According to Sean Richardson with the Louisiana Radio Network (LRN) Executive Director Anita Raj, PhD, says they found that one in nine Louisiana adults lives with severe depression and/or anxiety and that many people in the state contemplate self-harm. “About one in eleven Louisianans thought about taking their own life in just the past year. This means that about 400,000 people in our state have thought about suicide in the past year.” Raj says help is available by calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Raj says risks of non-intervention are substantial so if you see alarming behaviors, seek help. She points to several signs of concern including an increase in isolation, more negative talk, and threats against themselves or others. Exacerbating this crisis is a shortage of mental health providers.
Raj adds that if someone is struggling, even if they don’t have a plan to harm themselves, they could still be in a difficult or dire circumstance that needs intervention.

The non-partisan, nonprofit organization KFF explains mental illnesses can be acute or chronic and are diagnosable conditions that affect an individual’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and often their behavior. These conditions include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and mood or personality disorders, among others. KFF describes itself as the leading health policy organization in the United States. It brings together capabilities in policy research, polling, and journalism.

As KFF reports, from February 1 to 13, 2023, 39.1% of adults in Louisiana reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, compared to 32.3% of adults in the U.S. For comparison, Arkansas stands just above the national average at 32.6%, Texas stands at 36.8% and in Oklahoma, 35.0% of adults reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, and a graduate of the University of Washington, Jeff began his on-air broadcasting career 33 years ago in the Black Hills of South Dakota as a general assignment reporter.
Reporter - Louisiana Radio Network (LRN)