People go and see a doctor or go to the hospital when they are sick or injured. Everyone understands that when this situation arises, these problems will not resolve without medical intervention. No one would simply wait for a broken arm to feel better, so why is the state of South Dakota mental health so troubling these days? Why are so many people suffering with a mental illness, and so many more are generally aware that there’s a problem without getting the treatment they need?

There are a lot of potential answers to both questions. SoCal Empowered works with people from all over the United States who are struggling with mental illness. One of the best ways to prompt people who are suffering is by offering some perspective on their situations. We do this by offering data that, above all else, shows people that they are very far from alone. Mental illness is not anything to be ashamed of, despite the stigma that still exists.

Instead, those brave people who are struggling and who decide to get help deserve nothing but credit and support for taking that courageous step. People can overcome mental illness, just like they can overcome that broken arm with a cast and rest. Below we’re going to provide some data relating to South Dakota mental health that may be difficult to read, but it’s an important part of understanding the critical need to do something about it when an illness arises.

South Dakota Mental Health Statistics

According to World Population Review, just over 663,000 adults live in South Dakota. We’re going to focus on the adult population here, as that’s who we treat and that’s who we are trying to reach with or messaging and information. That number is the baseline for the information we’re about to present below relating to South Dakota mental health.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, publishes data regarding mental illness across the country, broken down by state. In its report on South Dakota mental health, you’ll find the following data points:

1. Approximately 112,000 adults in South Dakota have some form of mental illness at any given time.
2. In February 2021, 29.1% of adults in South Dakota reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.
3. 30,000 adults in South Dakota have what’s described as a serious mental illness, meaning that it affects their ability to live on a day-day basis.
4. 27,000 adults had thoughts of suicide in the previous year.
5. 448,334 people in South Dakota live in a community that does not have enough mental health professionals.

Some Comparative Perspective

Raw numbers don’t always tell us much. Instead, we’re going to break the data from above down with some comparisons to different populations in the state. Below are the largest 10 cities in South Dakota based on population:

1. Sioux Falls – 206,410
2. Rapid City – 79,404
3. Aberdeen – 28,110
4. Brookings – 24,312
5. Watertown – 23,230
6. Yankton – 15,630
7. Mitchell – 15,621
8. Huron – 14,618
9. Pierre – 13,880
10. Box Elder – 13,868

Based on these numbers:

1. If all of the adults in South Dakota with a mental illness lived in one community, it would immediately become the second largest city in the state.
2. More than 192,000 adults in South Dakota reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. That’s only 14,000 fewer people than Sioux Falls.
3. The 30,000 adults in South Dakota with a serious mental illness would become the third largest city in the state if they all lived in one place.
4. The 27,000 people who experienced suicidal ideation would become the fourth largest city in South Dakota.
5. More than half of the overall population of South Dakota lives in communities that are underserved by mental health professionals.

Aside from the fact that mental illness is oftentimes not visible to others, it’s also spread out. Obviously, not everyone who has a serious mental illness lives in one place or even near each other. Therefore, the problem may not seem so severe to those who are just going about their lives. However, if 192,000 people in South Dakota suddenly developed a serious respiratory disease, there would likely be a public outcry to determine the cause and to find a solution. That’s not happening with mental illness, and hopefully that’s going to change.

How SoCal Empowered Can Help

SoCal Empowered can help those who are searching for South Dakota mental health treatment. We do not have a facility in the state, but we are a national organization with facilities in Orange County, California and in Idaho Falls, Idaho. In many situations when a mental illness is serious, the best course of action is to get away from daily routines and take a “time-out” from life in order to be able to focus on what’s happening and what needs to happen.

If you contact one of our mental health professionals, the first thing we’re going to do is listen to your situation. If we feel that a stay at one of our facilities is advisable, we will gather your insurance information and deal directly with your carrier. We are in-network with several national and regional carriers. We also work with several others on an out-of-network basis. Our team will determine your coverage before you make any commitments with us.

Beyond that point, we will schedule a preassessment call to delve more deeply into what’s troubling you or a loved one. We want to be as thorough as possible up-front so that we can find the best fit for our program. We are only interested in working with people who are committed to getting better.

The average stay at one of our facilities is between 30 and 45 days. It all starts with that first contact, so if you’re ready to work towards a happier and healthier life, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible. It’s time to get moving on getting better.