Suffolk residents feel more mentally well than Norfolk and Essex neighbours, survey finds

People in Suffolk are meeting their emotional and physical needs better than those in the neighbouring counties, Suffolk Mind has revealed to mark Suffolk Day.

We have released our new State of Suffolk report, which uses data from our Emotional Needs Survey – an online questionnaire asking people living both in the county and elsewhere about how well they are meeting the 12 physical and emotional needs which contribute to our overall mental health.

The survey revealed people living in the county are almost two times more likely to be meeting their needs than respondents in Norfolk and Essex – with the scores for each individual need ranking higher across the board.

Our CEO Jon Neal, said: “These are really positive findings which show the impact the work of us and our partners are having in the county.

“Our mission is to make Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental health – and while we’re not there yet, this is a real sign of how things can improve.

“For these findings to come out ahead of our county’s special day is definitely a cause for optimism.”

The biggest differences between Suffolk and the surrounding counties were seen in Meaning & Purpose, Value, Movement and Food & Drink.

Overall when considering all 12 needs, people in Suffolk are meeting their needs 7% better than those in our neighbouring counties.

Jon added: “Starting off with Food & Drink, this can’t be a surprise with all the amazing local produce we have on offer here in Suffolk, although really the reason will be much deeper than that.

“Knowing that people in Suffolk feel more valued and have a greater sense of purpose shows just how much people in our county support one another.

“The national mental health picture is still continuing to worsen through the ongoing cost of living crisis and global conflicts – and we are in no way immune from that here in Suffolk – but these are promising signs we can build on for sure.”

Suffolk Mind continues to call on people in the county to take part in the short survey, helping it gain vital insights on the areas where people require the most support.