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Many people think we live in paradise — but the mental health data from Santa Cruz County tells a different story.
Over the past two years, Santa Cruz County has consistently recorded the highest rates of serious psychological distress in the Bay Area. Our numbers aren’t just bad; they’re well above California state averages, and would shock most developed countries. Behind the redwood trees and ocean views, many residents are quietly hurting. Thousands have already left, and many more are thinking about it.
When I lived in San Jose, I used to crawl over Highway 17 every weekend to surf in Santa Cruz. Every Saturday it was the same stop-and-go traffic, the same ambulances and car wrecks. I used to think: If people endure this kind of torture to get here, the locals must be the happiest people on earth.…