| West Virginia's suicide and depression rates are among the highest in the USA, according to a first-of-its-kind study released yesterday.
The study found that West Virginia is the second-most depressed state in the country, with the 10th-highest suicide rate.
The state joined Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming in the top 10 in both categories, according to the Thomson Healthcare report prepared for the nonprofit, Mental Health America.
Researchers blame the severity of depression and suicide rates on such factors as poor access to mental health care and a lack of resources for distressed people.
"It doesn't surprise me," said Catherine Yura, director of the Carruth Center at West Virginia University, which provides counseling, services and classes for students.
She said funding for mental health services is not as comprehensive as it should be, coupled with the habit of many people with serious problems never seeking treatment.
The WVU director said "We see a lot of students where this is the first time they've been able to get help."
While the causes of depression are unique to each individual, there are factors in West Virginia that contribute to a higher rate, according to the study.
People who are college educated and have health insurance are less likely to be depressed or suicidal, the study concluded.
About 300,000 of 1.8 million West Virginians are without health insurance, while coverage to mental illness is still not in parity to physical problems.
West Virginia has a relatively low number of mental health professionals compared to other states, many of them leaving the field because of stressful working conditions.
West Virginia has about eight psychiatrists and 10 psychologists per 100,000 people, compared with 22 and 83, respectively in neighboring Maryland, one of the healthiest states in the country.
About 20 percent of West Virginians report being unable to afford health care, while others report deductibles that make it difficult to seek help.
"I think it is exacerbated in West Virginia because we have a lower number of options in our economy," said Tim Morris, a spokesman for the Prestera Center, which provides mental health and substance abuse treatment in eight counties.
"In Charlotte, if people lose their job, they can find a new one pretty quickly. But if the stamping plant here closes, people have to think about moving away and leaving their family and friends," he said.
Another obstacle to treatment for West Virginians is the rural geography of their state.
In some areas, it can take more than an hour to get to the nearest hospital, a problem that affects all health care.
The distance makes people less likely to seek treatment until a problem becomes critical.
"The network for services is not great, especially when you get into the outlying counties," said Peg Morris, a therapist at Prestera's Charleston office.
"People wait until there is a crisis before seeking treatment." | 
