Ohio’s mental health trends: 5 ways to boost your self-esteem in February
Data shows Ohio residents are reporting frequent mental health crises and struggling with their overall mental health levels significantly more than the national average.
Researchers with Leafwell looked at each state in the U.S. and compiled a ranking based on their residents’ reported levels of mental health.
Specifically, they looked at average income, rates of distress, poor mental health days, access to exercise opportunities, physical inactivity rate and life expectancy for each state using research from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
According to the study, Ohio is among the states with the poorest mental health ratings in the U.S., listed at number 38 out of 50.
“As we delve into the intricacies of Ohio’s health metrics, it becomes evident that factors such as access to exercise opportunities, median household income, and mental health resources play pivotal roles in shaping the well-being of communities,” said Mitchell L. Doucette, director of research at Leafwell. “By highlighting the attributes of Ohio and other states in the bottom rankings, we aim to inspire conversations and initiatives that prioritize comprehensive approaches to improve the quality of life for residents nationwide.”
Alarming mental health trends found among Ohio residents
Researchers calculated Ohio’s residents have poorer overall mental health than the national average.
Ohioans reported “more poor mental health days than the average American,” and suffer 14% longer from frequent mental distress than the average American.
In Ohio, 24% of residents are physically inactive, despite over 84% having access to exercise opportunities.
The five states ranked at the bottom for overall mental wellness are West Virginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Kentucky.
The states with the best reported mental health are Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey,
Why is self-esteem important?
February is International Boost Your Self-Esteem Month.
Self-esteem is measured by how we feel about ourselves, according to Mercy Health Outpatient Beahvior Health Institute.
When people’s self-esteem levels are high, people feel healthier, more productive and have a more positive outlook on the rest of their world.
Having a low self-esteem can negatively affect a person’s quality of life and make them feel angry.
Boosting self-esteem
According to Mercy Health, self-esteem can be improved over time.
The Calli Institute shared five ways to recognize your worth during Boost Your Self-Esteem month. Mercy Health outlined their tips in the February newsletter:
- Out with the negative: “Positive thoughts manifest positive outcomes. Concentrate on thinking and saying nice things about yourself.” A great practice to start is opening a journal each morning and writing down three good things about yourself before you start your day.
- Be your own example: Resist the urge to compare yourself to anyone online. If you feel like you’re not “measuring up to others,” it can hurt your self-esteem. Instead, recognize how much you’ve grown since a milestone in your life.
- Exercise: Exercising regularly releases endorphins and can help you build stronger muscles and self-esteem.
- Find your circle of positivity: “Positivity is contagious, and positive people are happy, encouraging and inspirational...Positive friends are not just those who cheer for you but also inspire you to be the best version of yourself.”
- Be proud of yourself: Start noticing and acknowledging accomplishments. “When you start to notice and acknowledge the things you can do do -- large or small-- you’ll gain confidence in your abilities and build your self-esteem.
Measure your current self-esteem level using Rosenberg’s online self-esteem scale.
On average, scores below 15 on the scale suggest low self-esteem.
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