Therapists in Albuquerque, NM and Nearby Locations

Overview of Mental Health Resources in Albuquerque, New Mexico

When we think of Albuquerque, New Mexico, we tend to think of dry, desert heat. And, for the most part, this is true. But Albuquerque is also the biggest city in New Mexico. It is a thriving metropolis full of the same stresses all major cities have.

A lot of people don’t realize that mental disorders make up the greatest burden of disease in the United States. Because mental health has an impact on physical health, it is important that we seek treatment for mental health issues.

New Mexico does have initiatives to help prevent mental illness in teens and adults. New Mexico administration has recently undergone improvements in their health system to help increase mental health services. However, like any other city, there is no way the government can reach everyone who needs help.

Mental Health Statistics for Albuquerque

The depression rate in New Mexico is high – it averages about 10% across the state. And this figure is only for those officially diagnosed. When asked about their own feelings on depression, this average increases to approximately 17%. This is in line with the national average. However, it does show that assumptions about life being easy in the southwest are wrong. Even in New Mexico, especially Albuquerque, mental health issues are prevalent.

On a positive note, drug related overdoses are much lower in New Mexico than in the rest of the country. The number of drug related deaths in New Mexico is about half that of most other states. The same cannot be said of alcoholism. Although Albuquerque is on par with the rest of the country as far as alcohol related issues, this wasn’t always the case. The incidence of alcohol related mental health issues in New Mexico has almost doubled since 2010.

Impact of Not Receiving Treatment in Albuquerque, New Mexico

The reason New Mexico has created initiatives to identify and offer help to those prone to mental illness is because they understand that this is an issue. There are too many residents in New Mexico who don’t have access to proper mental health care. This is for several reasons:

• Lack of health insurance
• Lack of information
• Difficulty navigating the mental health care system
• Fear of stigma
• Education level
• Cost of treatment

Unfortunately, lack of proper mental health treatment can lead to many problems, such as:

• Domestic violence
• Higher crime rates
• Institutionalization
• Unemployment
• Homelessness
• Suicide
• Drug and alcohol related deaths

This is why it’s so important that people have access to mental health counseling. There needs to one central place where people can get information. They need to be able to get the name and numbers of available counselors who can provide help quickly. The longer it takes to see a counselor, the greater the chances are that the person will continue to suffer.

What Makes Albuquerque Unique When it Comes to Mental Health?

No city is immune to mental health issues. Regardless of what part of the country you are in, you are going to deal with stress. There are genetic and chemical mental disorders that require treatment. Albuquerque is unique in the following respects:

• Climate: Albuquerque is located in the southwest part of the US. Believe it or not, it has some very seasonable weather despite being located so far south. There is a huge range in temperatures though, and this can have an effect on people.
• Unhappy State: Studies have shown that New Mexico is one of the unhappiest states in the United States. They have the fourth-highest suicide rate in the country. They also have the fifth highest divorce rate in the country. Out of all the states, New Mexico ranks 40 on the happiness scale.
• Unemployment Rate: Albuquerque has a relatively low unemployment rate, at 4.4%. Although it is on par with the national average, it is low compared to many other cities in the US.
• Socioeconomic Factors: Albuquerque has a median household income of almost double the rest of the country. The national average is $28,555. In Albuquerque, this number increases to $47,413. Although this sounds like a reason why mental health issues would be lower, that is not always the case. With greater income comes greater responsibilities. We also know that mental illness does not discriminate by income. It affects all socioeconomic groups equally.

Divorce Rate in Albuquerque

Albuquerque’s divorce rate is very high. In fact, it is the fifth-highest in the country. A lot of this can be contributed to the fact that very few people in Albuquerque are happy in their work. They report being miserable at work and this carries over into the home.

People in New Mexico simply aren’t very happy. They have one of the lowest self-reported emotional well-being rates in the country. This could be because they don’t have access to services such as couples counseling.

Couples counseling and therapy are known to boost self-esteem and emotional well-being. If the residents of Albuquerque knew how to find this sort of help, they would have more successful and happy relationships.

Mental Health Resources in Albuquerque

Albuquerque is suffering from a shortage of mental health professionals. They were already short on resources. Then, a few years ago, a large Medicaid fraud scheme shut down many, much-needed offices. Now a state that was already plagued with very high substance abuse issues and depression is in worse shape than ever before.