Study Says Louisiana Needs More Psychiatric Help

The biggest source of stress for Americans in 2021 is money problems, according to a recent survey by personal finance website, WalletHub. The COVID-19 pandemic, which took first place last year, has slipped to second, which makes sense considering the progress the U.S. has made with vaccination and reopening. However, overall stress levels are not consistent across the country and certain states worry more than others about specific issues.

With April being the official Stress Awareness Month, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 41 key indicators of stress to determine the places to avoid and achieve a more relaxing life. The data set ranges from average hours worked per week to each state's personal bankruptcy rate and even to the share of adults getting adequate sleep.

And what of Louisiana? Well, our own Pelican State is save for one other, the most highly stressed state in the USA. A look at the various WalletHub metrics show that even the most well off Louisianans are near the end of their mental ropes.

Stress Levels in Louisiana (Lower the ranking, the higher the stress):

5^th – Avg. Hours Worked per Week
12^th – Share of Adults Getting Adequate Sleep
5^th – % of Adults in Fair/Poor Health
18^th – Job Security
2^nd – Median Credit Score
18^th – Housing Affordability
2^nd – % of Population Living in Poverty
4^th – Divorce Rate
2^nd – Crime Rate per Capita
2^nd – Psychologists per Capita

No small irony that in a state with so many under such constant pressure, the availability of adequate psychiatric and psychological help is so markedly lacking.

USA's Most Stressed States:

1) Nevada

2) Louisiana

3) New Mexico

4) West Virginia

5) Mississippi

USA's Least Stressed States:

1) South Dakota

2) Utah

3) Minnesota

4) Iowa

5) North Dakota