Mental Health Statistics 

You Are Not Alone

• 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2020 (52.9 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.

• 5.6% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2020 (14.2 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.

• 16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)

• 6.7% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2020 (17 million people)

• Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:

  • Non-Hispanic Asian: 13.9%

  • Non-Hispanic white: 22.6%

  • Non-Hispanic black or African-American: 17.3%

  • Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 18.7%

  • Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 35.8%

  • Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 16.6%

  • Hispanic or Latino: 18.4%

  • Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 47.4%

• Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:

  • Major Depressive Episode: 8.4% (21 million people)

  • Schizophrenia: <1% (estimated 1.5 million people)

  • Bipolar Disorder: 2.8% (estimated 7 million people)

  • Anxiety Disorders: 19.1% (estimated 48 million people)

  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6% (estimated 9 million people)

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2% (estimated 3 million people)

  • Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4% (estimated 3.5 million people)

Mental Health Care Matters

• 46.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2020 

• 64.5% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2020  

• 50.6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment in 2016  

• The average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years

• Annual treatment rates among U.S. adults with any mental illness, by demographic group:

  • Male: 37.4%

  • Female: 51.2%

  • Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 54.3%

  • Non-Hispanic Asian: 20.8%

  • Non-Hispanic white: 51.8%

  • Non-Hispanic black or African-American: 37.1%

  • Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 43.0%

  • Hispanic or Latino: 35.1%

• 11% of U.S. adults with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2020

• 11.3% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2020

• 55% of U.S. counties do not have a single practicing psychiatrist

• 148 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area

The Ripple Effect Of Mental Illness

PERSON

• People with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. People with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions.

• 32.1% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2020 (17 million individuals)

• The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (6.4%) compared to those who do not (5.1%)

• High school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers

• Students aged 6-17 with mental, emotional or behavioral concerns are 3x more likely to repeat a grade.

FAMILY

• At least 8.4 million people in the U.S. provide care to an adult with a mental or emotional health issue

• Caregivers of adults with mental or emotional health issues spend an average of 32 hours per week providing unpaid care

COMMUNITY

• Mental illness and substance use disorders are involved in 1 out of every 8 emergency department visits by a U.S. adult (estimated 12 million visits)

• Mood disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization for all people in the U.S. under age 45 (after excluding hospitalization relating to pregnancy and birth)

• Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year

• 20.8% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition

• 37% of adults incarcerated in the state and federal prison system have a diagnosed mental illness

• 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health condition.

• 8.4% of Active Component service members in the U.S. military experienced a mental health or substance use condition in 2019.

• 15.3% of U.S. Veterans experienced a mental illness in 2019 (31.3 million people). 

WORLD

• Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity each year 

• Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide

It’s Okay To Talk About Suicide

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 in the U.S.

• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.

• The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased by 35% since 1999

• 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition

• 90% of people who die by suicide had shown symptoms of a mental health condition, according to interviews with family, friends and medical professionals (also known as psychological autopsy)

• Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are 4x more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth

• 78% of people who die by suicide are male

• Transgender adults are nearly 12x more likely to attempt suicide than the general population

• Annual prevalence of serious thoughts of suicide, by U.S. demographic group:

  • 4.9% of all adults

  • 11.3% of young adults aged 18-25

  • 18.8% of high school students

  • 42% of LGBTQ youth

  • 52% of LGBTQ youth who identify as transgender or nonbinary

RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT

• 1 in 15 U.S adults experienced both a substance use disorder and mental illness

• 12+ million U.S adults had serious thoughts of suicide

• 1 in 5 U.S adults report that the pandemic had a significant negative impact on their mental health

  • 45% of those with mental illness

  • 55% of those with serious mental illness

• Among people aged 12 and older who drink alcohol, 15% report increased drinking

• Among people aged 12 and older who use drugs, 10% report increased use

• Among U.S. adults who received mental health services:

  • 17.7 million experienced delays or cancellations in appointments

  • 7.3 million experienced delays in getting prescriptions

  • 4.9 million were unable to access needed care

• 26.3 million U.S adults received virtual mental health services in the past year

  • 34% of those with mental illness

  • 50% of those with serious mental illness

YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS

• Among U.S. ADOLESCENTS (aged 12-17):

  • 1 in 6 experienced a major depressive episode (MDE)

  • 3 million had serious thoughts of suicide

  • 31% increase in mental health-related emergency department visits

• Among U.S. YOUNG ADULTS (aged 18-25):

  • 1 in 3 experienced a mental illness

  • 1 in 10 experienced a serious mental illness

  • 3.8 million had serious thoughts of suicide

• 1 in 5 young people report that the pandemic had a significant negative impact on their mental health

  • 18% of adolescents

  • 23% of young adults

  • Nearly ½ of young people with mental health concerns report a significant negative impact

• 1 in 10 people under age 18 experience a mental health condition following a COVID-19 diagnosis

• Increased use of alcohol among those who drink:

  • 15% of adolescents

  • 18% of young adults

• Increased use of drugs among those who use:

  • 15% of adolescents

  • 19% of young adults

Mental Illness And The Criminal Justice System

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

• About 2 million times each year, people with serious mental illness are booked into jails.

• About 2 in 5 people who are incarcerated have a history of mental illness (37% in state and federal prisons and 44% held in local jails).

• 66% of women in prison reported having a history of mental illness, almost twice the percentage of men in prison.

• Nearly one in four people shot and killed by police officers between 2015 and 2020 had a mental health condition.

• Suicide is the leading cause of death for people held in local jails.

• An estimated 4,000 people with serious mental illness are held in solitary confinement inside U.S. prisons.

COMMUNITIES

• 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health condition.

• Youth in detention are 10 times more likely to suffer from psychosis than youth in the community.

• About 50,000 veterans are held in local jails — 55% report experiencing a mental illness.

• Among incarcerated people with a mental health condition, non-white individuals are more likely to go to solitary confinement, be injured, and stay longer in jail.

ACCESS TO CARE

• About 3 in 5 people (63%) with a history of mental illness do not receive mental health treatment while incarcerated in state and federal prisons.

• Less than half of people (45%) with a history of mental illness receive mental health treatment while held in local jails.

• People who have healthcare coverage upon release from incarceration are more likely to engage in services that reduce recidivism.

The following are the latest statistics available from the National Institute of Mental Health Disorders, part of the National Institutes of Health:

• Mental health disorders account for several of the top causes of disability in established market economies, such as the U.S., worldwide, and include: major depression (also called clinical depression), manic depression (also called bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

• An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older -- about 1 in 4 adults -- suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

• Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with substance abuse and anxiety disorders.

• Approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year.

  • Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men. However, men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.

  • While major depression can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.

  • With bipolar disorder, which affects approximately 2.6% of Americans age 18 and older in a given year -- the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s.

• Most people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder -- most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance abuse disorder.

  • Four times as many men than women commit suicide. However, women attempt suicide more often than men.

  • The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are found in Caucasian men over age 85. However, suicide is also one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and adults ages 15 to 24.

• Approximately 1% of Americans are affected by schizophrenia.

  • In most cases, schizophrenia first appears in men during their late teens or early 20s. In women, schizophrenia often first appears during their 20s or early 30s.

• Approximately about 18% of people ages 18- 54 in a given year, have an anxiety disorder in a given year. Anxiety disorders include: panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).

  • Panic disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood.

  • The first symptoms of OCD often begin during childhood or adolescence.

  • GAD can begin at any time, though the risk is highest between childhood and middle age.

  • Individuals with OCD frequently can have problems with substance abuse or depressive or eating disorders.

  • Social phobia typically begins in childhood or adolescence.

 https://www.mhanational.org/issues/2021/mental-health-america-youth-data (click on the link to access the interactive map)

States with rankings 1-10 have lower prevalence of mental illness and higher rates of access to care for youth. States with rankings 39-51 indicate that youth have higher prevalence of mental illness and lower rates of access to care.

The 7 measures that make up the Youth Ranking include:

1.  Youth with At Least One Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the Past Year

2.  Youth with Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year

3.  Youth with Severe MDE

4.  Youth with MDE who Did Not Receive Mental Health Services

5.  Youth with Severe MDE who Received Some Consistent Treatment

6.  Children with Private Insurance that Did Not Cover Mental or Emotional Problems

7.  Students Identified with Emotional Disturbance for an Individualized Education Program.