Mental Illness In The US: 5 States With Highest Rate Of Patients With Serious Mental Disorders

Over 42 million adults in America suffer from mental disorders. From those numbers, 10 million people have been diagnosed with serious mental illness in the U.S.

Serious mental disorders include depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Which U.S. states have the most number of patients with serious mental disorders?

1. West Virginia (5.4 percent Of State Population)

Almost 80,000 people in West Virginia suffer from serious mental disorders. Poverty, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic abuse and lack of adequate mental health support system are the main causes of this epidemic, according to Medical Daily.

2. Vermont (5.3 Percent Of State Population)

Vermont has one of the highest rates of serious mental illness in the U.S., with 27,000 patients affected. The state is trying to fight the epidemic by making mental health services more accessible to its residents.

3. Maine (5.2 Percent Of State Population)

More than one in five adults in Maine have less serious mental disorders. About 56,000 residents suffer from serious mental illnesses such as bipolar and schizophrenia.

4. Arkansas (5.1 Percent Of State Population)

There is no state in America that has more people thinking about committing suicide than in Arkansas. It also has 115,000 of its residents suffering from serious mental disorders.

5. Kentucky (4.9 Percent Of State Population)

Kentucky has one of the biggest rates of major mental illness in the U.S., with more than 160,000 adult residents affected. Many affected residents in this state have difficulties getting access to quality mental health services, Courier-Journal reports.