Unsurprisingly, Americans have experienced more frequent symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though anxiety levels may increase and decrease depending on the rise and fall in the number of cases or the appearance and subsequent fading out of new variants, they have remained elevated compared to pre-pandemic days.
Even though the latest and highly contagious omicron variant is significantly less likely to cause death, especially among the vaccinated, people’s mental health is still being affected negatively by social isolation and related economic difficulties. Studies show that residents of some states have adjusted more successfully than others. (These are the states fighting COVID-19 most successfully.)
To identify the states reporting the most (and least) COVID-19-related anxiety and/or depression, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Phase 3:3, covering the period from Dec. 1 to Dec. 13, from “Adults Reporting Symptoms of Anxiety or Depressive Disorder During COVID-19 Pandemic,” a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
A score of at least 3 on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) indicates an anxiety disorder; a score of 3 or greater on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) scale defines a depressive disorder. (Each state’s population comes from the 2019 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.)
Nationwide, more than a quarter of adult Americans reported symptoms of an anxiety disorder and just over one in five reported struggling with depression in the first half of December. Slightly less than a third of adults in the country said they were dealing with one or the other.
The U.S. is currently averaging nearly 380,000 new COVID cases per day, down from more than 540,000 at the end of January and from nearly 800,000 a day in the middle of that month, according to data from the Centers Disease Control and Prevention. However, even though new cases and hospitalizations are declining, the average number of COVID-19-related deaths per day is still increasing. No wonder the coronavirus is still taking a toll on the nation’s mental well-being. (Find out also how COVID fatality rates compare with other deadly diseases.)
Click here for the states reporting the most anxiety during the pandemic
50. South Dakota
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 24%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 6.6 – 9th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,395 – 4th lowest
> Population: 884,659
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49. South Carolina
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 25.1%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 18.1 – 19th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 12,763 – 15th highest
> Population: 5,148,714
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47. Delaware
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 26.3% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 6.3 – 8th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,555 – 5th lowest
> Population: 973,764
47. Wisconsin
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 26.3% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 49.9 – 17th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 8,859 – 23rd highest
> Population: 5,822,434
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46. Illinois
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 27.6%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 145.7 – 7th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 21,286 – 5th highest
> Population: 12,671,821
44. Rhode Island
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 27.8% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 9.1 – 11th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,191 – 7th lowest
> Population: 1,059,361
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44. New Jersey
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 27.8% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 104.6 – 8th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 7,774 – 25th lowest
> Population: 8,882,190
43. Minnesota
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 27.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 33.4 – 23rd highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 12,884 – 14th highest
> Population: 5,639,632
42. Maryland
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 28.2%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 56.9 – 16th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 3,501 – 14th lowest
> Population: 6,045,680
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41. Florida
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 28.8%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 152.3 – 5th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 28,271 – 3rd highest
> Population: 21,477,737
40. Pennsylvania
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 28.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 166.3 – 3rd highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 14,078 – 12th highest
> Population: 12,801,989
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39. Connecticut
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 29.3%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 32.3 – 24th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 3,737 – 15th lowest
> Population: 3,565,287
38. Texas
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 29.5%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 158.9 – 4th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 48,127 – 2nd highest
> Population: 28,995,881
37. Iowa
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 29.8%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 26.3 – 24th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 4,809 – 18th lowest
> Population: 3,155,070
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36. Georgia
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 29.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 73.1 – 12th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 16,676 – 10th highest
> Population: 10,617,423
35. North Carolina
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 58.4 – 15th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 24,983 – 4th highest
> Population: 10,488,084
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33. Montana
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.1% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 3.4 – 4th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,268 – 9th lowest
> Population: 1,068,778
33. Ohio
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.1% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 177.7 – 2nd highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 13,158 – 13th highest
> Population: 11,689,100
31. Massachusetts
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.2% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 77.7 – 10th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 10,074 – 21st highest
> Population: 6,892,503
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31. Indiana
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.2% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 75.4 – 11th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 11,448 – 17th highest
> Population: 6,732,219
30. California
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.4%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 150 – 6th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 98,911 – the highest
> Population: 39,512,223
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29. Nebraska
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.5%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 13.9 – 14th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 3,186 – 13th lowest
> Population: 1,934,408
28. New Hampshire
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.7%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 10 – 12th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,193 – 8th lowest
> Population: 1,359,711
27. Maine
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 30.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 5.7 – 7th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,037 – 2nd lowest
> Population: 1,344,212
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26. Kansas
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.1%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 14 – 15th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 7,034 – 23rd lowest
> Population: 2,913,314
25. Arizona
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.2%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 71.9 – 13th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 18,554 – 8th highest
> Population: 7,278,717
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23. Michigan
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.4% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 96.9 – 9th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 17,008 – 9th highest
> Population: 9,986,857
23. Tennessee
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.4% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 69.4 – 14th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 16,077 – 11th highest
> Population: 6,829,174
22. Virginia
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.5%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 39 – 21st highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 10,554 – 19th highest
> Population: 8,535,519
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21. Mississippi
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.7%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 14.1 – 16th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 5,466 – 20th lowest
> Population: 2,976,149
20. Hawaii
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 31.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 3.3 – 2nd lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,894 – 12th lowest
> Population: 1,415,872
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19. Alabama
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.1%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 31.9 – 25th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 10,668 – 18th highest
> Population: 4,903,185
17. Idaho
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.2% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 6.9 – 10th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,862 – 11th lowest
> Population: 1,787,065
17. Vermont
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.2% (tie)
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 2.1 – the lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,013 – the lowest
> Population: 623,989
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16. Wyoming
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.3%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 3.4 – 4th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,376 – 3rd lowest
> Population: 578,759
15. Utah
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.5%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 11.1 – 13th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 7,814 – 25th highest
> Population: 3,205,958
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14. Missouri
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 32.8%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 46.7 – 18th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 9,817 – 22nd highest
> Population: 6,137,428
13. Colorado
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 33.2%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 33.9 – 22nd highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 8,784 – 24th highest
> Population: 5,758,736
12. New York
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 33.3%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 196.9 – the highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 18,707 – 7th highest
> Population: 19,453,561
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11. North Dakota
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 33.4%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 4.1 – 5th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 1,946 – 6th lowest
> Population: 762,062
10. Washington
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 33.6%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 44 – 19th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 20,748 – 6th highest
> Population: 7,614,893
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9. Arkansas
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 34.4%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 18 – 18th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 6,965 – 22nd lowest
> Population: 3,017,804
8. New Mexico
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 34.6%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 23.1 – 21st lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 4,765 – 17th lowest
> Population: 2,096,829
7. Oregon
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 35.6%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 21.6 – 20th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 7,609 – 24th lowest
> Population: 4,217,737
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6. Nevada
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 36.3%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 23.7 – 22nd lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 5,120 – 19th lowest
> Population: 3,080,156
5. Kentucky
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 36.7%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 28.1 – 25th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 12,109 – 16th highest
> Population: 4,467,673
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4. Alaska
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 37.8%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 4.3 – 6th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 2,467 – 10th lowest
> Population: 731,545
3. Oklahoma
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 38.3%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 24.6 – 23rd lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 10,396 – 20th highest
> Population: 3,956,971
2. Louisiana
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 38.7%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 41 – 20th highest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 6,959 – 21st lowest
> Population: 4,648,794
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1. West Virginia
> Adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder: 39.9%
> Avg. daily COVID deaths (past 7 days): 15.3 – 17th lowest
> Avg. daily COVID cases (past 7 days): 4,632 – 16th lowest
> Population: 1,792,147
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