CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — As more people sought help for their mental health during the pandemic, a new survey finds Cook County ranks the third highest in the country for people having suicidal thoughts.
More than 1,200 Cook County residents reported they have thought about killing or hurting themselves.
Ann Hartry, a vice president at Deerfield-based pharmaceutical group Lundbeck, told WBBM Newsradio that's according to a survey of 2.6 million people last year who had done an online screening with Mental Health America.
"It's not a surprise, but it is really important that we begin to understand the magnitude of the problem," Hartry said.
She said the survey can help governments determine where to devote their resources which are often spread thin these days.
"We can use this as a tool to ensure that those resources are being funneled to the areas of greatest need," Hartry said.
Seventy percent of those with frequent suicidal ideation in the survey said they had never received treatment or help for a mental health issue before.
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