Virtual Therapy Arkansas

Data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for Arkansas indicates that over 450,000 in the state – approximately 15% of the population – have a diagnosed mental health condition. The precise number is certainly higher when the number of residents who have not received an official diagnosis is accounted for. Furthermore, an estimated 40% of adults report having symptoms of anxiety and depression. Arkansas youth are on a more concerning path as the Behavioral Health Barometer for Arkansas reports that over 15% of those aged 12-17 have experienced a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) which is higher than most other southern U.S. states which average just over 12%. One comparison to other U.S. states in the Kindbridge service area is of added concern – the traditional lack of access to adequate help. NAMI reports that an estimated 47% of all residents live in a community that does not have adequate access to mental health professionals. Keep in mind that this lack of access relates to traditional mental health issues. When factoring in an emerging public health concern (which we explore further below) it becomes clear that more strategic interventions need to be offered to the public in Arkansas.

Using Technology to Overcome Tech Addictions

Problematic behavior regarding engagement with web-enabled activities is an emerging mental health concern in “The Natural State”. This is verified by the *growth in online search for the following from within Arkansas:

• Technology addiction treatment near me: Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas.
• Technology addiction treatment: Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas. Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas. This expression exhibits positive infinity (+∞) year-over-year growth in AR, indicating a significant-to-extremely high positive growth in search volume.
• Solutions to technology addiction: Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas. This expression also exhibits positive infinity (+∞) year-over-year growth in AR.
• Treatment for computer addiction: Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas.
• Internet addiction treatment: Searched up to 100 times per month in Arkansas.

*Source: Google’s search query research tool

Behavioral health issues relating to technology in Arkansas include the following:

• Problematic online gambling behavior: Research confirms year-over-year problem gambling help line calls have increased 22% in Arkansas over the most recently recorded period.
• Problematic use of pornography: National studies suggest that 7% of people have an unhealthy relationship with online pornography, equating 161,000 adult Arkansans.
• Problematic online trading behavior: National studies suggest that 8% of investors meet the criteria for compulsivity regarding online trading. With data indicating that about 1% of the adult population in the U.S. engages in online day trading during an average month, it can be inferred that approximately 1,840 adults in Arkansas may have an issue with online trading.
• Unhealthy video gaming: Arkansas has joined Missouri in being among select U.S. states with high-profile lawsuits against gaming companies for designing video games to be addictive and targeting youth. A summary of Arkansas families suing video game companies can be found here.
• Problematic online shopping behavior: Approximately 5% to 8% of the general population may be affected by an online shopping problem at some point in their lives. If the national average holds true for Arkansas, up to 184,000 residents may need to reevaluate their online shopping behavior.
• Dependencies on artificial intelligence: While more research needs to be done as the ubiquitous use of AI in daily life evolves, early indicators suggest that Arkansans need to be more mindful of their dependency on AI.

As a virtual counseling platform, Kindbridge leverages technology to treat all of the above. Counseling specific to each issue are available to any Arkansa resident with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Click or call to connect right now.

Successfully Treating Cooccurring Issues

A number of mental health concerns are comorbid with technology addictions. Whether you struggle with one or more of these as cooccurring (w/ problem tech use) issues:

Anxiety	ADHD
Bipolar Disorder	Chronic Anger + Irritability
Depression	OCD
PTSD	Substance Use Disorder