Buena Park, California Therapists

An Overview of Mental Health in Buena Park, California

Buena Park, California, is one of several cities in Orange County that is known for its tourist industry. It is home to the famous Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park and only 15 minutes away from Disneyland. There were 83, 834 people living in Buena Park as of 2017, and the population grew by over 10 percent between 2015-2016.

However, despite this city’s mild climate, many points of interest, and a low unemployment rate of 3.10 percent, mental health care and the number of people experiencing some form of mental illness are on the rise, especially in Orange County. To understand why there is such a wide gap between those suffering from depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and bipolar disorder versus available treatment, it is necessary to examine the social and economic factors that may be contributing to these problems.

Mental Health Factors in Buena Park

While Buena Park boasts a lower unemployment rate than other cities in Orange County, it is still slightly higher than the national average of 3.7 percent. Anxiety and depression can develop or grow when an individual is out of work or cannot find a job, and other factors can trigger mental health problems which include:

• Fear of Failure: Teen suicide has risen sharply, with over 4,500 children taking their lives under what they feel to be an overwhelming amount of pressure to succeed;
• A Lack of Higher Education: Over 10,000 of Buena Park’s residents did not attend college, which may lead to feelings of failure or low self-esteem;
• Feelings of Social Isolation: A significant portion of the city’s population was not born in the United States, and this could cause mental health issues that stem from feeling isolated and alone;
• Social Media Influence: Online bullying and a distorted self-image as a result of social media can result in actions such as self-harm and suicide.

Age and gender are also factors for suicide victims in Buena Park. Percentages for suicides in those over the age of 75 are on the rise in Orange County, and that same report from The Orange County Register noted that deaths by self-inflicted gunshot wounds in males spike after the age of 25 when it is easier for them to gain access to a weapon.

The Challenges of Finding a Therapist in Buena Park

A serious lack of mental health care has impacted the well-being of residents of Buena Park and the surrounding county. In California itself, the number of available psychiatric beds decreased nearly 30 percent between 1995-2014. In addition, 14 percent of Buena Park’s residents live in poverty and likely do not have access to the kind of health care needed when it comes to treating mental illness.

Age also seems to be playing a role for those in Buena Park who do not get the mental health care they require. For example, nearly 10,000 of the city’s residents are over the age of 65, which may mean they are suffering from limited mobility and cannot reach a medical center. The same report shows that more than 750 of the city’s veterans are age 75 and older, and those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or some other type of mental issue as the result of combat might be misdiagnosed by well-meaning family members who dismiss these serious problems as the common mental decline of old age.

Availability of Mental Health Resources in Buena Park

While there are many challenges for Buena Park’s residents when it comes to finding help for mental health problems, there is hope as well. In March 2018, Orange County announced it would spend over $70 million to permanently house the area’s homeless and give them access to both physical and mental health care. This news came only a few months after the announcement of a mental health and addiction treatment center opening near a large homeless camp near the Santa Ana River.

Mental health care treatment in Buena Park is not limited to the homeless, however. People from all walks of life can find help within the city at such places as the Mental Health Association of Orange County, which is a non-profit center that treats children, adults, veterans, and low-income individuals.