Simon Cox Blog: Counseling Across America: Regional Snapshots of What Problems Rank Highest

Thursday, 17 May 2018

Counseling Across America: Regional Snapshots of What Problems Rank Highest

The stigma that was often attached to pursuing mental wellness is slowly going away—and Americans are increasingly taking charge of their mental health because of it.

According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, nearly half of American households have someone who has sought out mental health care. The stigma that was often attached to pursuing mental wellness is slowly going away—and Americans are increasingly taking charge of their mental health because of it.

One such way to take charge of your mental wellness is to regularly visit a licensed counselor, who can help you improve your quality of life and learn how to deal with symptoms of anxiety, depression, or better your relationships with your spouse or your children.

To learn more about the specific types of counseling Americans are seeking out, MidAmerica Nazarene University recently performed a study where they looked at and analyzed Google search data—and the results are surprising.

The Study Results

The researchers at MidAmerica Nazarene University combed through the most commonly Googled types of counseling (as compared to national search averages on Google) and created a map based on their findings.

According to the data, there were eight commonly Googled types of counseling, which included alcohol, anxiety, compulsion, depression, drug, marriage, money, and trauma. Of these commonly searched types of counseling, the researchers found that there were three most sought-after types of counseling in the country: marriage, alcohol, and family.

But one of the most interesting things that the researchers found is that the most commonly sought-after types of counseling weren’t just the same across the board throughout the country. The data map they created visually displays the type of counseling each state most commonly searched for, which generated some interesting patterns.

Curiously enough, only two ...