Greensboro, North Carolina Therapists

Guide to Finding Mental Health Professionals in Greensboro, North Carolina

Nicknamed the Gate City in 1891, Greensboro is the third-most populous city in North Carolina. In 2016, the city had 287,019 residents and an estimated median household income of $45,064. Data will show you that in the last ten years, both their population and income have increased dramatically. In fact, between 2015 and 2016 alone, the population of Greensboro saw a 0.59% increase, and household income increased by 0.29%.

Since its establishment in 1808, Greensboro has been a continuously growing and thriving city. With major investments being put into downtown, especially as it relates to residential developments, it likely won’t be long before the city reaches 300,000 residents. Such developments are attractive to millennials and college students, particularly those looking to attend or are currently attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, and Guilford College. The city can also expect additional restaurants, small entertainment centers, and facilities for concerts and conventions. The outlook for positive economic development is promising.

Although Greensboro’s median household income is increasing, it is still below the median annual income for the United States. There are also noticeable wage gaps between males and females in the city. The top jobs in the state of North Carolina are managers, retail salespersons, elementary and middle school teachers, truck drivers, and cashiers. In each role, males earn significantly more than their female counterparts. Males make 1.33 times more than female employees.

Greensboro’s Economy: A Healthcare Giant

Data reflects that the largest industries in Greensboro are healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. The healthcare/social assistance industry alone employs over 44,000 Greensboro residents. Several of those healthcare workers are Certified Nurse Assistants. However, while those industries employ the most residents, the industries that pay the most are technological services, utilities, and finance/insurance.

Data reflects that 137,347 Greensboro residents are employed. Compared to other metro areas of a similar size, their job market ranks poorly. 22.8% of the population lives below the poverty line, which is greater than the national average. The largest demographic living in poverty is women ages 18-24 and the largest racial group living below poverty is African Americans.

The Economy’s Impact on Mental Health

Thousands of the residents living in Greensboro work in the healthcare industry, which includes some of the world’s most mentally and physically draining roles. One survey showed that 69% of healthcare workers reported feeling stressed, and 17% reported feeling highly stressed. More than half of the healthcare workers stated that their workloads had increased over the past year. This can lead to a poor quality of life for workers. However, it not only affects them, it impacts their patients too.

Poverty is another factor that plays a part in mental health. The stress levels of those in poverty in America are much higher than those in Latin America. A Gallup study showed that a significant number of lower-income individuals reported feeling anger, pain, sadness, and worry the day before. Another study done by Robert Anderson revealed that those with incomes below the poverty line were twice as likely to report mental distress as those earning $75,000 or more.

Another group to consider is students. In 2013, over 36% of college students reported experiencing depression. Anxiety disorder is also common among college students. 1 in 4 students have a diagnosable mental illness but 40% do not seek help.

In short, college students, those working in demanding positions, and those living below the poverty line are most at risk for mental distress.

Greensboro’s Impact on Mental Health

According to the Guilford County health assessment, suicide was the 2nd most common cause of death among individuals between the ages of 1 and 39. However, when it comes to social and emotional support, 63 percent of Guilford County residents stated that they “always” get the support they need. In addition, Guilford County’s ratio of mental health providers to the population is better than the entire state of North Carolina.

There is an organization known as ‘The Mental Health Association in Greensboro’ that serves as an advocate for those with mental illness. They offer several programs aimed to educate and empower those seeking recovery.