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An Overview of Mental Health in Upland, California

California, to people who don’t live there, is a utopia of sorts, characterized by white sandy beaches, oceanfront views and models in bikinis walking the streets. Those who live in the Golden State, however, know better.

Upland is your traditional California town—not traditional as in Hollywood traditional, but traditional as in “real.” Instead of oceanfront views and white sandy beaches, Upland is characterized by desert, tumbleweeds and unassuming homes of stucco. It’s a far cry from Beverly Hills and the boardwalks featured on shows like 90210.

As if taking its lack of California glam to heart, Upland is a fairly unlivable place to live.. In terms of Amenities, Upland received an A+, but that is the only A it received. For cost of living, Upland received an F. At $62,369, the median household income in Upland is substantially greater than that of the nation’s, but the cost of living is a full eight percent higher than the national average. The median property value, which is $422,200, is a full 108 percent higher than the nation’s. The poverty rate is 15.6 percent.

Though lack of views and an extraordinary cost of living do not alone lead to mental health disorders, they don’t help. Below are additional factors that may lead to the area’s overall mental decline.

Factors That May Affect Upland’s Mental Health

As you may have gleaned from the above information, Upland is not an easy place to live based on cost of living alone. The average price of a home, when compared with the median household income, is enough to give any normal person pause, if not a stress-induced heart attack. You may wonder though what other factors might contribute to a growing mental health concern in the area. Some factors are as follows:

• Integration: More than 40 percent of Upland’s residents are Hispanic, and nearly one-third do not speak English. Cultural isolation may lead to depression and isolation.
• Poverty: Approximately 15 percent of Upland residents live below the poverty line. Females between the ages of 25 and 44 are the most likely to be living in poverty. The fact that children between the ages of five and 14 are the next most likely to be living in poverty indicate that many women are raising children alone, in poverty. This can lead to depression, substance abuse, theft and developmental issues.
• HIV Diagnoses: Though there aren’t any official stats for Upland, San Bernardino reported approximately 208.4 HIV diagnoses per 100,000 individuals in 2017. Such a diagnosis can cause fear, anxiety and depression. Chlamydia diagnoses were also extremely high, at 514.9. This is only slightly less than the county with the third-most number of diagnoses.
• Veterans: With Camp Pendleton and Palm Desert not too far away, San Bernardino has a large number of veterans. Veterans often live with PTSD, social disorders, anxiety and a host of other mental disorders that professionals are only just beginning to explore.

Each of these factors play a role in Upland’s and San Bernardino County’s mental health crisis. However, it’s important to know that those who do live with mental health issues are not alone.

Mental Health is a Statewide Concern

According to one report, one in six adults living in California lives with a mental health disorder, while one in 20 lives with a serious mental illness that impacts their ability to go about their daily lives. Despite these outstanding numbers, many afflicted individuals continue to rely on emergency room departments and Medicaid for the mental health therapy they need. If individuals don’t have the means to pay out of pocket, which many Upland residents don’t, or if they do not have insurance—again, which most Upland residents don’t—individuals are either forced to cope with the disorder on their own or seek public health services.

Let E-Counseling Be Your Guide

If you’re one of many who is living with a mental illness and does not have the resources or access to quality mental health care, turn to E-Counseling’s directory. The directory includes the names and contact information of professional and compassionate therapists near you. Take the first step toward a happier and mentally healthy life – use E-Counseling’s directory to locate the care you need.