Richland, Washington Therapists

An Overview of Mental Health in Richland, Washington

With a population of 53,000 and higher-than-average household income, Richland, Washington is an excellent city with lots of attractions in southern Washington. Typically known as the Tri-Cities area, Richland, Kennewick and Pasco combine to form a beautiful area on the confluence of the Columbia, Yakima and Snake rivers. However, residents of this year-round destination can still be at risk of common mental health issues. Discover the signs, challenges and treatment options for mental illness in the area.

Signs and Symptoms of Mental Illness

Whether you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, it’s essential to understand the signs and symptoms of mental illness. Learning how to identify warning signs is the first step to seeking help and treatment. While everyone experiences mental illness in a variety of different ways, here are some common signs that someone may be experiencing a mental illness:

• Difficulty related to others
• Extreme changes in mood, eating habits, sex drive or sleeping habits
• Unusual thoughts or confused thinking
• Unusually sadness, anxiety or fear
• Thoughts of self-harm, suicide or substance abuse

These can all point to one or more mental illnesses. Understanding and diagnosing mental illness requires professional experience, so don’t hesitate to seek an expert mental health provider for a diagnosis.

Mental Health Challenges in Richland, Washington

Throughout Washington the percentage of adolescents who experienced a major depressive episode in one year is 12.1 percent. This is higher than the national average of 11 percent. Thoughts of suicide and severe mental illness rates are also higher than the national average. The percentage of individuals who were treated for mental illness was only 44 percent between 2010 and 2014.
This means that well over half of all individuals throughout the state who reported signs of mental illness did not receive treatment. There are a variety of factors that could cause a person to be unable to receive treatment or choose to not receive treatment. One strong factor is poverty. Of the individuals who were treated for mental illness in Washington, a total of 71.8 percent were not in the labor force. Thankfully, Richland has a poverty rate of 10.5 percent. This is below the national average, so less residents of this city have this challenge to face.
Other challenges that can affect mental illness rates include drug abuse. Not only do individuals who are addicted to drugs have a greater risk of mental illness, individuals who have mental health issues are at a greater risk of abusing prescription and illegal drugs. Every year, approximately 9.4 out of 100,000 residents of Washington overdose on opioids. While this number is higher than many states it is, on average, lower than most.
Finally, alcoholism can be a co-occuring disorder with mental illness. Many individuals who experience alcoholism also suffer from depression. 20.4 percent of Benton County residents drink excessively, making it one of the highest county-wide rates in the state.
None of these challenges can completely predict mental illness. Mental health is a complicated topic and it can be difficult to determine the exact causes or sequence of stressors that can increase the symptoms of mental health issues. Just because residents of Richland are sheltered from many of the typical community-wide stressors that predict mental illness does not mean that individuals in the area aren’t struggling with these and other stressors that can lead to a mental health crisis.

Divorce Statistics in Washington

Divorce is a difficult experience that can affect many areas of a person’s life. Not only does divorce often cause a great deal of stress, anxiety and financial difficulties, it can also affect the mental health of friends and family members. Out of 24,499 divorces in 2016 in Washington, 506 were in Benton County.
In order to protect the mental health of everyone involved, watch for signs and symptoms of mental illness if anyone you are close to is going through a divorce. Thankfully, Richland and Benton County have lower rates of divorce than other Washington counties.