Texas Near Bottom of States Using Mood-Altering Drugs

Even though the South in general uses more drugs to help people relax or alter moods, the Lone Star State is in the bottom ten according to the Gallop Poll.

More and more people have been prescribed some sort of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug over the last few decades. For whatever reason, West Virginia has the highest rate of people who use them at 28.1 percent followed by Rhode Island, Kentucky, Alabama and Louisiana.

Texas was tied for 43rd place with Colorado (apparently marijuana doesn't count).  Alaska has the fewest people using them at 13.5 percent.  Wyoming, California, Illinois and North Dakota sit in front of Texas by less than a percentage point.  See the list here.

Here's how Gallop explained their process of finding this out:

These data are based on interviews with at least 450 residents of each state from January to December 2014, as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. While the question specifically refers to drugs that "affect your mood or help you relax," the interpretation of that description is left up to respondents and could include prescription drugs, recreational drugs, alcohol or nicotine.

This report was part of Gallop's larger "State Of The States" report.