In 2024, 15.6% of U.S. adults reported frequent mental distress — 14 or more mentally unhealthy days during the past 30 days where the person experienced poor mental health due to stress, depression or problems with emotions, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Louisiana, the average percentage of adults experiencing frequent mental distress was 19.9%. The state had the second-highest percentage of adults experiencing frequent mental distress in the country. Arkansas had the highest with 20.1%.
In 2019, 7% of all U.S. adults reporting experiencing moderate or severe symptoms of depression within the past two weeks, with women more likely than men and adults ages 18 to 29 more likely than adults 30 years and older to experience any level of severity of symptoms, CDC data says.
In Louisiana, only two parishes had less than a quarter of its adults who reported depression at some time in their lives. Additionally, one in three Louisianans are lonely and lack emotional and social support.
Studies prove that there is a strong link between a two-week period of poor mental health and clinically diagnosed mental disorders as well as a higher risk of a physical manifestation of symptoms.
Developing chronic disease like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease are strongly linked to health behaviors like smoking, alcohol use, unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity — behaviors common among those with frequent mental distress.
Chronic stressors such as housing insecurity, food insecurity and insufficient sleep are also related to frequent mental distress, according to the CDC.
These Louisiana parishes had the lowest percentage of adults who reported frequent mental distress, in ascending order:
West Feliciana Parish with 17.9%;Lafayette Parish with 18.7%;East Baton Rouge Parish with 18.9%;Jefferson Parish with 19%;St. Charles Parish with 19.1%; Ascension, Bossier and Orleans parishes with 19.2%;Plaquemines and St. Tammany parishes with 19.4%;West Baton Rouge parish with 19.5%;Calcasieu Parish with 19.8%;St. John the Baptist Parish with 19.9%;East Feliciana Parish with 20%.
These Louisiana parishes had the highest percentage of adults who reported frequent mental distress, in descending order:
Madison Parish with 23.8%; East Carroll Parish with 23.5%; Bienville and Tensas parishes with 23.2%; Avoyelles Parish with 23.1%; Claiborne Parish with 23%; Webster Parish with 22.9%; Acadia, Concordia, Franklin and Red River parishes with 22.8%; Caldwell Parish with 22.7%; Morehouse and Sabine parishes with 22.6%; St. Landry Parish with 22.5%; St. Helena Parish with 22.3%; Evangeline, Richland and St. Mary parishes with 22.2%.