Happy/Sad States

Colorado is ranked as one of the happiest states, but does all this happiness also have a downside?

It turns out that misery does indeed love company. But in the case of happy states like Colorado, some might not be finding that company and it could be part of the reason happy states also have higher suicide rates.

Colorado is in the top 10 in this year's "happy states" ranking. That's great news and means that we as a group are doing pretty well on the happiness scale. But Colorado is also ranked 6th in suicide rates. As a matter of fact, four of the top 10 happy states are also in the top 10 for suicide rates.

Perhaps more surprising, of the bottom 10 states for happiness, only one, West Virginia, was also in the top 10 for suicides. States like New York, one of the unhappiest, also had low suicide rates.

Although experts aren't sure why this is happening, some think it could be that when someone is depressed in a place where everyone around them seems happy, it makes it all that much tougher to deal with. On the other hand, if you're feeling sad in a place like New York City, it might feel like you have plenty of people around you sharing the same feeling.

But for those in a happy state like Colorado, the big message here is that you aren't really alone, no matter what it seems like as you look around. If you are feeling depressed, and especially if you are considering harming yourself, talk to someone. And if it's needed, seek professional help.