Therapists in Bellevue, WA and Nearby Locations

An Overview of Mental Health in Bellevue, Washington

There are many advantages to living in Bellevue, Washington, a city of about 144,000 people located a few minutes away from the major metropolis of Seattle. Over 95% of Bellevue’s residents have earned at least a high school diploma (or its equivalent, the GED), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that as of May 2018, Bellevue’s unemployment rate of 3% is lower than the state and national averages of 4.7% and 3.8%, respectively.

However, this part of the Pacific Northwest can pose unique challenges to people with mental illnesses such as depression.

Seasonal Depression in Bellevue, Washington

The Emerald City of Seattle — less than five miles away from the center of Bellevue — is also consistently referred to as the “rainy city.” Multiple news sources report that the Seattle metropolitan area (of which Bellevue is part) has the most or the second-most depressing weather in the United States. The fall and winter months are especially bad for precipitation, as only 28% of those days (on average) are sunny.

Seasonal depression, sometimes called the “winter blues” and professionally called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a reality for some people who live in or near Bellevue. The late fall and the early winter are the times of the year in which people are much more likely to experience SAD symptoms, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

The further someone lives from the equator, the more likely they are to experience the classic symptoms of depression such as being unable to get out of bed and overeating, according to NIMH. Thus, people in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and New England are much more prone to experiencing depression in the months with less sunlight than people living in Florida.

Mental Health Statistics for Bellevue, Washington

According to a report from the American Psychological Association, the entire state of Washington has 2,950 active psychologists — one of the largest numbers in the Western region. Generally, a large number of active psychologists and other mental health professionals indicate that mental illness is prevalent throughout that state; this is the case for Washington.

Unfortunately, the suicide rate has been steadily increasing in recent years in all of Washington State, according to The Seattle Times. Suicide is the eighth-highest cause of death in the state and the second-highest cause for Washington State residents between the ages of 15 and 34. The good news is that the Bellevue/Seattle area still has the lowest rate of completed suicides in the state. This may be attributed to the general fact that residents of rural areas are more likely to commit suicide than residents of urban areas, according to the newspaper.

However, SAMHSA reports that Washington State as a whole has mental illness prevalence rates that are on par with or slightly higher than the U.S. average. Washington’s percentage of major depressive episodes among children aged 12-17 in 2013-14 was 12.1% — or 1.1% higher than the national average of 11% for the same period, according to SAMHSA’s State Behavioral report for 2015. The national and state averages for serious mental illnesses among adults for the same period were nearly identical at 4.4% and 4.2%, respectively. Washington

Mental Health Resources for Bellevue, Washington

A SAMHSA online search engine lists 13 facilities in Bellevue that offer inpatient and outpatient mental health services for children and adults. Bellevue also has 11 facilities that focus on substance abuse treatment.

It appears some Bellevue residents may also visit neighboring cities such as Seattle (approximately five miles away) and Kirkland (about four miles away) for their mental health treatment. SAMSHA lists an additional mental health treatment option in Kirkland as well as hundreds of choices in Seattle.

Some of the inpatient and outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment services available in Bellevue, Seattle, and Kirkland offer low-cost or free treatment to people with low income and/or no insurance. It is always worth asking for payment options, especially when visiting a center in which multiple counselors, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists work.

Challenges of Finding a Suitable Therapist in Bellevue, Washington

This website is dedicated to helping people in Bellevue, Washington and every other U.S. city find the best mental health treatment possible.

Your health insurance company or employer probably has a service for mental healthcare referrals. However, you will undoubtedly end up exasperated after spending hours of your valuable time filling out forms that seem to ask every personal question possible. Also, providers recommended by your employer or health insurer usually have few or no appointments available.