5 minute read
Closing the mental health gap among rural youth in the US
By Cemile Kavountzis
for Pfizer and Rural Minds
Originally published in USA Today
During her freshman year in college, Asheton was deeply affected by a classmate’s suicide. And even though she hadn’t known him personally, his story hit home.
“The thing that stuck with me is that he was just like me,” she said. “He came from a small town. He lived on the same floor as me. He was a freshman, and he was taking the same classes I was, and he was struggling with them.”
For Asheton, moving from Roxboro, North Carolina, to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had been an exciting change from the quiet country roads of her childhood. Growing up, her closest friends lived miles down the road.
“I went from being the smartest kid in the school to being one of the smart kids. And it was like I was pulled underwater,” she explained. “It was the most difficult change I’ve ever had to deal with.”
Asheton often felt overwhelmed while scrolling through social media, seeing only “the best moments of other people’s lives.” She felt like she was the only one struggling to keep up.
Asheton sits in her former high school, reflecting on growing up in rural America and coming to terms with understanding that she wasn’t the only one who needed some assistance for her mental health.
She confided in her mom, Debbie, about the pressures. Debbie, who had experience working with kids facing mental health issues, understood what kids were up against. She knew the stress of getting good grades and measuring up online, and she had seen firsthand how resources and staff can be limited.
“My advice for parents if their children are dealing with mental health issues is to support them,” said Debbie, stressing the importance of open communication.
Starting the conversation
Young people in rural America can have the same hopes and dreams as other teenagers, but they can also face unique challenges. They often lack the resources found in more populated areas, making it harder to get help — or even know where to turn.
“If you are from a place like Roxboro that has such a tight community, it’s not the physical isolation, but it’s more the feeling of if I’m going through something, I can’t voice how I’m feeling because this isn’t the type of environment that would accept that,” said Asheton.
Compared to cities, individuals in rural areas are at a higher risk of suicide — with rates nearly doubling from 2000 to 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For Jeff Winton, founder and chairman of Rural Minds, this is all too familiar terrain. It’s the stories behind those statistics that hit home the hardest. After losing his nephew to suicide, Winton started the organization to advocate for rural communities struggling with mental illness and substance use disorders.
“Our vision is to end the stigma, the suffering and the silence,” he said, lamenting that his own nephew hadn’t shared his troubles. “There is a huge crisis that is only growing in rural America as it relates to teens. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2011 – 2021, an estimated more than one out of every five, or 22% of teenagers, has seriously contemplated suicide.
In the past two decades, suicide rates have been consistently higher in rural America than in urban America. Suicide rates are also growing at a faster pace among rural youth than urban youth.
Despite the higher suicide rates among rural youth, one study found that mental health facilities in rural areas are much fewer compared to cities.
Advocating for additional resources
Looking back on her childhood, Asheton appreciates the many positives of growing up in the country, especially the strong sense of community. This same spirit drives the National Grange to advocate for the wellbeing of rural communities.
“Farm, ranch and rural folks are strong, self-reliant and independent. We are not adept at asking for help,” said Christine Hamp, the current president of the organization and a fourth generation Granger who was raised on a dairy farm. “Since its founding, the Grange has been a leading voice on issues of equity faced by farm families and those in rural communities. From health disparities to expansion of services, like power, phone and broadband, the Grange is at the center of the fight to ensure our rural residents are not left behind.”
The Grange and Pfizer are working with Rural Minds to help improve resources. “By partnering with organizations, like Pfizer and the National Grange, we have been able to shed light on the growing issue of mental illness in rural America much more quickly,” said Winton.
Mike Zincone, senior director of patient advocacy at Pfizer, said, “When we look at health care disparities, rural communities can be overlooked. Resources specific to the needs of that community are essential because they can look very different to their urban counterparts or suburban environments.”
Signs of change are already visible.
“I feel rural mental health awareness, especially for adolescents, is one of the most important things,” said Asheton, “because this generation, they’re the ones who are going to grow up and change the world.”
