Nearly 20 percent of Californians say they are in need of mental health services, but stigma and a lack of health insurance is preventing them from getting help, a study from researchers at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research reveals.

Furthermore, over a million respondents indicated that they had symptoms inline with serious psychological distress. The data is derived from a 2005 California Health Interview Survey.

The research team pointed to poor economic conditions and job losses as one of the reasons people in the state may be so stressed.

"Part of the problem may be stigma. It's hard for many Californians to acknowledge they need help - to their family, friends or their doctor," says study author and CHIS director David Grant. "The challenge for policymakers and providers is to both target appropriate services to those with needs and to reduce fear."

Californians aren't the only ones susceptible to mental health conditions. The National Institute of Mental Health says that over 26 percent of the adult population in the country suffers from a mental disorder in a given year.