Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Depression in Michigan

 It is not an easy topic to talk about, but it is an important one, and merits greater attention. Depression is an issue nationwide, with Michigan ending up in the middle of the pack with around 11% rate of serious psychological distress, with states in the mid-South having the highest rates, and New England the lowest. As defined by the research, a "major depressive episode" is one where the person experiences a period of at least 2 weeks of loss of pleasure from daily life and other symptoms of the condition. This data is collected from the NSDUH, an annual survey of around 70,000 people that asks questions about mental health, alcohol use, and illicit drug use.

All data retrieved from:  http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/statesMHlist.cfm