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Distress More Likely in New York, Study Finds
NY Times ^
| April 10, 2006
| SEWELL CHAN
Posted on 04/12/2006 1:05:09 PM PDT by neverdem
Nearly 1 in 7 adults in New York City described their mental health last year as being frequently "not good," compared with 1 in 10 adults in a comparable national survey, according to data being released today by the City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The findings, from the city's community health survey, a telephone poll of 10,000 randomly selected adults conducted each year since 2002, confirm what many New Yorkers suspect that life in the nation's most populous city can be difficult and lonely.
Thirteen percent of adults who answered the city's survey last year reported that their mental health was "not good" on 14 or more days of the month, compared with 10 percent in a similar national survey that measured "frequent mental distress," like stress, depression or other emotional problems. The data will be presented today in a conference at Hunter College organized by Dr. Neal L. Cohen, a former city health commissioner.
Dr. Lloyd I. Sederer, the executive deputy commissioner for mental hygiene at the health department, said he believed that the higher rate of "frequent mental distress" reported by city residents was statistically significant, although the precise reasons were not clear. "I wish we knew, in a way that we could say with confidence, why that difference is," he said.
The survey also contains a separate set of questions, which asked adults whether in the past month they had felt hopeless, nervous, worthless or restless; whether they had felt so sad that nothing could cheer them up; and whether they had felt that "everything was an effort." Those questions, developed by Ronald C. Kessler, a Harvard Medical School professor, measure "nonspecific psychological distress."
The department, in a paper that is also being presented today at Hunter College, found that rates of such psychological...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Georgia; US: New York
KEYWORDS: depression; disorders; mentaldisorders; mentalhealth; newyorkcity; nyc; psychology
It should be compared to other large cities, not the nation as a whole. What do cities have besides more people and lawbreakers? How about more laws and regulations to make people go nuts?
1
posted on
04/12/2006 1:05:10 PM PDT
by
neverdem
To: neverdem
2
posted on
04/12/2006 1:08:31 PM PDT
by
Uncle Miltie
(Why did Allah create free will and then demand submission? Wouldn't robots have been easier?)
To: neverdem
I've also seen polls that Republicans are
happier than Democrats. It makes sense, then, that bluer areas of the country would correlate with "not good" mental health.
3
posted on
04/12/2006 1:08:33 PM PDT
by
bigLusr
(Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur)
To: neverdem
The whole urban megalopolis environment is, IMHO, quite contrary to what humans are genetically and emotionally prepared to deal with.
When I get stressed, I go stick my hands in the dirt and work in my garden. Had some lettuce plants go to seed last year, I'm gonna have to get a goat to take care of all the lettuce I got, it's even growing in my front yard!
4
posted on
04/12/2006 1:09:54 PM PDT
by
djf
(Bedtime story: Once upon a time, they snuck on the boat and threw the tea over. In a land far away..)
To: neverdem
Nearly 1 in 7 adults in New York City described their mental health last year as being frequently "not good,"
Shocking
5
posted on
04/12/2006 1:11:12 PM PDT
by
Vision
("There are no limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence" Ronald Reagan)
To: neverdem
Thirteen percent of adults who answered the city's survey last year reported that their mental health was "not good" on 14 or more days of the month Or it could represent all the Republicans in New York City and the pain of having to deal with so many liberal idiots around them.
6
posted on
04/12/2006 1:14:00 PM PDT
by
D-Chivas
To: neverdem
I remember reading it years ago somewhere that when they kept increasing the rat density in cages, after certain threshold the rats went psychotic. Now, considering the RAT density in NYC, is it any wonder?
7
posted on
04/12/2006 1:22:43 PM PDT
by
GSlob
To: neverdem
You couldn't pay me enough to live in a huge city for long.
8
posted on
04/12/2006 1:28:45 PM PDT
by
Firefigher NC
(You light ‘em, we fight ‘em!)
To: neverdem
So, out of seven million New Yorkers, one million recognize themselves as mentally ill. Surely another million or two don't recognize mental illness, though they have it. This explains why Hillary and Chuckie are NY senators.
To: Brad Cloven
I call it the LCS--Liberal Crackpot Syndrome...a virus having its origins in the works of Marx/Engel/ and the French delusionals of the 18th century.
It is especially prevalent in the Northeast in dying, overtaxed cities and towns, where it lingers among the population that remains...the best and healthiest minds having already left for greener, fresher, healthier pastures in the red states.
10
posted on
04/12/2006 1:35:10 PM PDT
by
eleni121
('Thou hast conquered, O Galilean!' (Julian the Apostate))
To: neverdem
On the other hand, its Spring here in rural Ohio, and we're doing quite well, thank you very much!
11
posted on
04/12/2006 1:35:56 PM PDT
by
Mikey_1962
(If you build it, they won't come...)
To: neverdem
that life in the nation's most populous city can be difficult and lonely. whiny liberal p@ssies...that's all
12
posted on
04/12/2006 1:45:05 PM PDT
by
Dick Vomer
(liberals suck......... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.)
To: kittymyrib
"So, out of seven million New Yorkers, one million recognize themselves as mentally ill. Surely another million or two don't recognize mental illness, though they have it. "
The question to these New Yorkers should have been phrased differently - not whether they recognise themselves as being out of phase, but whether they recognise others [and how many of these others] as being so. You would start getting the true picture immediately.
13
posted on
04/12/2006 2:21:31 PM PDT
by
GSlob
To: neverdem
Someone published a report 40 years ago that said most NooYawkers are flat out crazy! Nothing has changed.
14
posted on
04/12/2006 2:41:53 PM PDT
by
SWAMPSNIPER
(LET ME DIE ON MY FEET, IN MY SWAMP)
To: bigLusr
bingo...
15
posted on
04/12/2006 3:27:45 PM PDT
by
Chode
(1967 UN Outer Space Treaty is bad for America and bad for humanity - DUMP IT. American Hedonist ©®)
To: neverdem; durasell
This surprises you?
Let's just say that I often feel like these guys:
16
posted on
04/12/2006 5:37:15 PM PDT
by
Clemenza
(Bayonne L.A.M.F.)
To: Clemenza
Aw, look at how young they look!
17
posted on
04/12/2006 5:41:59 PM PDT
by
durasell
(!)
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