Twitter use reveals Missouri, Kansas among most depressed states, report finds
A recent Twitter analysis revealed Missouri and Kansas are among the states tweeting about mental health issues the most during the coronavirus pandemic.
The study by Health Trends showed Missouri is tweeting about depression and anxiety more than every state except Michigan. Kansas is No. 10 in complaints on Twitter about depression and anxiety during April, according to Health Trends.
Health Trends determined its rankings by using geotagged Twitter data and tracking tweets and hashtags related to various mental health keywords. It tracked more than 900,000 tweets.
Many of the states in the ranking’s top 10 are from the Midwest.
1. Michigan
2. Missouri
3. Louisiana
4. Arkansas
5. Oklahoma
6. Kentucky
7. Minnesota
8. New York
9. Iowa
10. Kansas
There are more than 7,400 confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas and 164 deaths, according to statewide data. Missouri has more than 10,000 cases of the virus and 524 deaths, the state has reported.
Health Trends recommended staying “mentally healthy and strong” by organizing your at-home workspace, staying connected with coworkers online, keeping in touch with family and friends, daily cleaning of at least 10 minutes, creating a routine and taking advantage of mental health online tools and apps.
Nearly half of American adults across the country say worry and stress from the coronavirus has harmed their mental health, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Dr. John Draper, the director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, told CBS News “a great many of the people phoning are presenting with COVID-related stressors.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255 or suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 12:31 PM.