These Stats Tell a Chilling Story About Depression in New York, But You Can Help

It's National Suicide Prevention Week in the United States, and we want to have a conversation about it.

That's one of the main pillars of the week itself: start conversations. Give Americans the opportunity, and the platform, to discuss mental health and suicide, and the avenues available to those who are seeking help. It's something that's misunderstood, misrepresented, and should be talked about more openly all year long.

So, let's talk about depression, and how much it's impacting New York.

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The Facts: How Depression is Impacting New York in 2022

We begin with a piece from ABC News 10 in Albany, which broke down the metropolitan areas across the United States dealing with the highest rates of depression. The article cites a study done by CEUfast, which listed the Buffalo metropolitan area as having the 38th-highest rate of depression of any city in the country.

How about the state as a whole, though?

World Population Review published statistics, breaking down each state's rate of depression, and quality of mental health care that one can receive. New York is very similar to Buffalo, as it has the 37th-highest rate of depression of any state in the union, tied with a number of other states, all of 0.04% depression rate.

What's more, New York's mental health care access is ranked among the better states, with the 16th-best access and quality of any state around. By comparison, Vermont has the highest-ranked mental health care in the country, while Maine is in a tie for the highest rate of depression.

These are the statistics that you should know as a citizen in New York, but now, how can we work to lower them?

How You Can Get Mental Health Care in the Capital Region and NY

If you, or someone you know, is seeking help for their mental health, depression or other crises, here are some of the things you should know:

• The Suicide and Crisis Hotline is available 24/7, and you can dial 988 to access it at any time.
• You can also talk via text at the Crisis Text Line. Text SIGNS to 741741 for 24/7, anonymous, free crisis counseling.
• If you're looking for treatment options but unsure where to go or who to contact, check out FindTreatment.gov for guidance.
• If you're looking for more resources, or want to become involved in the cause in some way, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website.

Life is crazy, and the people in your life need you. Call your family, call your friends, give them all a hug. More times than not, it'll mean more than you'll know.