The “Sooner State,” more formally known as Oklahoma, has a wide range of picturesque terrain. The state’s landscape includes forests, the Great Plains along with hills and lakes. It also has a huge Native American presence, with over 25 different Native American languages spoken. Oklahoma is a state that played a big role in American History. Visitors can learn about this role by visiting the Western Heritage and National Cowboy Museums in the state’s capital city, Oklahoma City. Although Oklahoma is an ideal locale in many ways, the state isn’t immune to the problems experienced across the nation with substance abuse and mental illness. In fact, it has more instances of these problems than most. Substance Abuse And Mental Illness in Oklahoma: …show more content…
These figures are based off of 2012 data. Oklahoma ranks 3rd in the nation for mental illness, which figures to be 22.4% of the state’s population. When it comes to substance abuse disorders, Oklahoma ranks 2nd with 11.9% of its population suffering with such disorders. These figures mean between 700,000 and 950,000 adult citizens of Oklahoma are in need of help for substance abuse disorders, help with mental illness or both. The Connection Between Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders: The correlation between mental illness and substance abuse isn’t completely understood. However, there is no doubt a connection exists. Therefore, anyone who suffers from a mental illness should seek help so as not to make the condition worse by seeking relief through substance abuse. Getting Help in