Wellness and Mental Health

130 Mental Health Statistics in 2024

Uncover the pressing realities of mental health through insightful statistics, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive support and awareness.
In This Post:

According to the WHO, approximately one in four people worldwide will develop a mental illness at some point in their lives. That’s why Shortlister collected over 100 mental health statistics in one place:

General Mental Health Statistics

  • In the United States in 2019, an estimated 51.5 million adults aged 18 or older were diagnosed with mental illness. This number constitutes 20.6% of all US adults. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • Mental illness is higher among women (24.5%) than men (16.3%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • The presence of mental illness was highest among the adults reporting two or more races (31.7%), followed by white adults (22.2%). The prevalence of mental illness was lowest among Asian adults (14.4%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • In 2019, from 51.5 million adults with mental illness, 23.0 million (44.8%) received mental health services in the past year. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • The presence of severe mental illness was highest among the adults reporting two or more races (9.3%). The prevalence of severe mental illness was lowest among NH/OPI adults. (2.6%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • In 2019, of 13.1 million adults with serious mental illness, only 8.6 million (65.5%) received treatment in the past year. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • 3.8% of US adults had a re-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2019 (9.5 million people). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • The delay between the onset of mental illness and treatment is 11 years. (NCBI 2004)
  • More females with a mental disorder (49.7%) received mental health services than males with AMI (36.8%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • In 2019, there were 13.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with a severe mental illness. This number constitutes 5.2% of all US adults. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • 10.9% of US adults that were diagnosed with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2019. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • 11.9% of US adults with serious mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2019. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • 55% of US counties do not have a single practicing psychiatrist. (The National Council, 2017)
  • People diagnosed with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. Patients with serious mental illness are two times more prone to develop these conditions. (The Lancet, 2019)
  • 18.4% of US adults with a mental disorder also had a substance use disorder in 2019 (9.5 million individuals). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • Unemployment is higher in US adults who have a mental disease (5.8%) than those who do not (3.6%). (SAMHSA, 2019.
  • In the U.S.8.4, million of people take care of a person with a mental or emotional health issue. (NAC, 2016)
  • Caregivers of adults with mental health issues spend an average of 32 hours per week providing unpaid care. (NAC, 2016)
  • Severe mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year in the US (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2010)
  • 20.5% of the people who are homeless in the US have a severe mental health condition. (HUD, 2019)
  • 37% of adults that are incarcerated in prison have a diagnosed mental illness. (BJS, 2017)
  • Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. (The Lancet, 2016)
  • Suicide is the 2nd most common reason for death among people aged 10-34 in the U.S. (NIMH, 2018)
  • 46% of people who commit suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition. (CDC, 2016)
  • 90% of people who commit suicide had shown symptoms of a mental health disorder, according to interviews with friends, family, and medical professionals (also known as a psychological autopsy). (Pubmed, 2016)
  • Transgender adults are 12x more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. (NCTE, 2016)
  • Lifetime presence of any anxiety disorder: 31.6%. (NCBI, 2012)
  • The number of US adults with anxiety disorders: 42.5 million. (NCBI, 2012)
  • Past year prevalence of bipolar disorder: 1.8%. (NCBI, 2012)
  • The number of US adults with bipolar disorder: 3.3 million. (NCBI, 2012)
  • 2.5% of US adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives. (NCBI, 2012)
  • The percentage of adults with major depression in the US is 7.1%. This counts 17.3 million people.

    (MHA, 2020)*

  • Severe depression is one of the most common mental illnesses.

    (MHA, 2020)

  • Uninsured people with mental illnesses account for 0.3% of the population, that’s approximately 4.7 million. (MHA, 2020)
  • The number of uninsured Americans in the US has continued to fall due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). (MHA, 2020)
  • Adults with AMI who are uninsured decreased in 39 states. (MHA, 2020)
  • The most significant substantial declines were observed in Louisiana (5.3%), New York (4.7%), Iowa (4.6%), and Arkansas (4.2%). (MHA, 2020)
  • Since the state extended Medicaid in 2016, Louisiana has seen the most significant dramatic decreases in uninsured persons with AMI, dropping from 20% to 14.7%. (MHA, 2020)
  • Some states, like Arkansas, lowered the number of uninsured persons with AMI by implementing Medicaid work requirements in 2018, resulting in a significant reduction in coverage in future reports. (MHA, 2020)
  • The percentage of uninsured persons with mental illness varies by state, ranging from 2.4% in Massachusetts to 22.9% in Wyoming. (MHA, 2020)
  • 57.2% of individuals with mental illnesses did not obtain treatment. (MHA, 2020)
  • Over 26 million people who have a mental disorder are untreated. (MHA, 2020)
  • The frequency of untreated people with mental illness varies by state, ranging from 40.7% in Vermont to 64.8% in California. (MHA, 2020)
  • Almost a quarter (22.3%) of all individuals with a mental disorder reported being unable to obtain necessary care. This figure has not decreased since 2011. (MHA, 2020)
  • Adults with AMI report that treatment needs range from 14.3% in Alabama to 31.2% in Utah. (MHA, 2020)
  • Due to financial constraints, 29.4% of persons with cognitive disabilities were unable to see a doctor. (MHA, 2020)
  • According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), even when corrected for age, 11.4% of persons in the US had a cognitive disorder, according to the CDC. (MHA, 2020)
  • In certain states, the percentage of persons with a mental illness ranged from 7.8% to 19.1%. (MHA, 2020)
  • According to a 2017 study, working-age persons with disabilities are more likely to live below the federal poverty line and utilize public insurance than working-age adults without disabilities. Their average health expenses were also three to seven times greater than individuals without impairments, and they were more likely to experience access and affordability issues to treatment. (NLM, 2017) 
  • Adults with disabilities who couldn’t see a doctor due to cost ranged from 16.87% in Iowa to 41.03% in Texas. (MHA, 2020)
  • The state rate of pupils classified as having an Emotional Disturbance (E.D.) for an IEP range from 27.72% in Vermont to 2.02% in Alabama. (MHA, 2020)
  • In Massachusetts, the state rate of mental health workforce ranges from 180:1 to 1,100:1 Alabama. (MHA, 2020)
  • In 2016, more than half of the counties in the US had no psychiatrists. (Behavioral Health Workforce Research Center, 2018) 
  • 21% of American adults, or 50 million people, are dealing with mental illness. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 5.44% report experiencing a severe mental condition. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 15.35% of US adults had a substance use disorder. 93.5% didn’t get any form of treatment for their condition. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Over 12.1 million American adults, or 4.8%, report seriously considering suicide. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 11% of adults who identify with two or more races have serious suicidal thoughts. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 55% of US adults, or 28 million individuals with a mental illness, don’t receive treatment. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Over 5.5 million adults, or 5.5 million Americans with a mental illness, don’t have insurance. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Each mental health provider in the US has 350 individuals. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 28% of US adults with mental conditions couldn’t get treatment. Most of them couldn’t afford it. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Costs were the primary reason why 23% of adults experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month couldn’t see a doctor. (MHA, 2023) 
  • The top five states where mental health difficulties are most prevalent in the US are Kansas, Oregon, Arizona, Alabama, and Idaho. (MHA, 2023) 
  • States with the lowest prevalence rates and most access to care are Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Connecticut. (MHA, 2023)
mental health

Adolescent Mental Health Statistics

  • Adolescents aged 18-25 years had the highest presence of severe mental illness (8.6%) compared to adults age 26-49 years (6.8%) and aged 50 and older (2.9%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • The percentage of adolescents aged 18-25 years with serious mental illness who received mental health treatment (56.4%) was lower than adults aged 26-49 years (65.1%) and aged 50 and older (74.3%). (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • From adolescents with any mental disorder, 22.2% had severe impairment. DSM-IV-based criteria were used to detect impairment levels. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • Adolescents in detention are ten times more likely to suffer from psychosis than adolescents in the community. (NCMHJJ, 2017)
  • The percentage of adolescents with severe depression is 9%. This counts two million people. (MHA, 2020)
  • 22.2% of adolescents with any mental disorder had severe impairment. DSM-IV criteria were used to determine impairment level. (Mental Health Information, 2019)
  • Adolescents reporting symptoms of major depression increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017. From 2009 to 2017, it grew by 63% in adults ages 18 to 25. (Science Daily, 2019)
  • Between 2012 and 2015, depression in boys increased by 21% and in girls 50%. (Child Mind Institute, 2015)
  • By 2015, 92% of teens and adolescents owned a smartphone. But, as the use of smartphones increased, so did feelings of depression. (Child Mind Institute, 2015)
  • 7.4% of children aged 3-17 (approximately 4.5 million) have a diagnosed behavior problem. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2019)
  • 7.1% of children aged 3-17 (approximately 4.4 million) have been diagnosed with anxiety. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2019)
  • 3.2% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 1.9 million) have been diagnosed with depression. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2019)
  • 59% of young people suffering from severe depression do not obtain any mental health therapy. (MHA, 2020)
  • Even in the states with the most considerable access for adolescents, about half of all youth do not receive the mental health treatments they require. (MHA, 2020)
  • The frequency of untreated depression in kids ranges from 39.5% in Rhode Island to 74.3% in North Carolina. (MHA, 2020)
  • Only 28.2% of kids with severe depression receive continuous therapy (7-25+ appointments per year) on a national level. (MHA, 2020)
  • Youth are frequently denied early and effective treatment due to delayed detection in primary care settings and inadequate coverage of mental health services. (MHA, 2020)
  • The frequency of kids with severe depression who got some outpatient therapy varies by state, ranging from 53.9% in Maryland to 13.5% in South Carolina. (MHA, 2020)
  • The frequency of children without mental health coverage varies by state, ranging from 2.0% in New Hampshire to 18.1% in Mississippi. (MHA, 2020)
  • In the last year, 16% of adolescents experienced at least one significant depressive episode. (MHA, 2023) 
  • More than 2.7 million young people have severe depression. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Among youth with major depression, 60% don’t receive treatment. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Only 28% of young people with severe depression receive consistent treatment. (MHA, 2023)
  • Over 1.2 million youngsters with private insurance, or one in ten, don’t have coverage for mental issues. (MHA, 2023) 
  • Oregon, Kansas, Nebraska, Virginia, and Idaho are the states with the highest prevalence of mental health diseases among adolescents and the least access to care. (MHA, 2023) 
  • The states with the lowest prevalence and best access to care for youth are the District of Columbia, Delaware, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. (MHA, 2023) 
  • 6.34% of younger Americans have had a substance use disorder in the past year. 2.85% dealt with alcohol use, while 4.85% with drug use disorder. (MHA, 2023) 

College Students Mental Health Statistics

  • High school students with severe depression are twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers. (Pubmed, 2018)
  • Lesbian, gay, and bisexual young people are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than straight young people. (CDC, 2019)
  • 63% of students say that their emotional health got worse when the COVID-19 pandemic started. (Jed Foundation, 2020)
  • 56% of students are very concerned with their ability to care for their mental health. (Active Minds, 2020)
  • Many students are dealing with anxiety (82%), followed by social isolation/loneliness (68%), depression (63%), trouble concentrating (62%), and difficulty coping with stress in a healthy way (60%). (Healthy Mind’s Network, 2020)
  • One in five (19%) students had suicidal thoughts in the past month. (Healthy Mind’s Network, 2020)
  • Only.73% of students have an E.D. for IEP. (MHA, 2020)
  • 30.5% of college students received mental health services in the last year. (ACHA, 2022) 
  • Alcohol and cannabis use harmed students’ academic performance. (ACHA, 2022) 
  • 2.7% of college students attempted suicide within the last year. (ACHA, 2022) 
  • 13% of students report experiencing one mental condition, 17.8% deal with depression and anxiety, and 6.4% have two or more mental issues. (ACHA, 2022) 
  • Out of 41.2% of college students who attend counseling for a mental health issue, 22% started before college, whereas 20.6% began after college. (CCMH, 2022) 
  • 12.7% of students have taken medication for a mental health condition. (CCMH, 2022) 
  • 7.1% of graduates considered suicide more than five times. 0.4% of them made a suicide attempt. (CCMH, 2022) 
mental health

Social Media & Mental Health Statistics

  • Since the release of smartphones, mental health concerns have increased in children and young adults. The rate of adolescents reporting symptoms of major depression in a given year increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017. From 2009 to 2017, it grew by 63% in adults ages 18 to 25. (Science Daily, 2019)
  • More than one in three adults (38%) see social media use as harmful. Only 5% think that it’s only positive (American Psychiatric Association, 2019)
  • More than 3 hours on social media per day puts adolescents at a higher risk for mental health problems. (Jama Network, 2020)
  • 13% of kids ages 12-17 report depression, and 32% report anxiety. (OASH, 2019)
  • 25% of 18 to 25-year-olds report mental illness. These age groups say high usage of social media. (OASH, 2019)
  • Around 86% of 18- to 29-year-olds use social media. Another 80% of people aged 30-49 and 64% of people aged 50-64 are on social media. Even one-third of adults over 65 use it, compared to just 10% in 2010. (Pew Research Center, 2017)
  • More than 3 hours on social media per day puts adolescents at a higher risk for mental health problems. (Jama Network, 2020)
  • Since the release of smartphones, mental health concerns have increased in children and young adults. The rate of adolescents reporting symptoms of major depression in a given year increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017. From 2009 to 2017, it grew by 63% in adults ages 18 to 25. (Science Daily, 2019)
  • More than one in three adults (38%) see social media use as harmful. Only 5% think that it’s only positive (American Psychiatric Association, 2019)
  • Reducing social media use to even 30 minutes per day results in significantly lower levels of:
  • 9% of teens report experiencing a negative impact from social media. (Pew Research, 2022) 
  • 23% of teenagers say social media platforms make them feel bad about their lives. (Pew Research, 2022) 

Fear of missing out (FOMO)

  • An estimated 49.5% of young people had any mental disorder. (SAMHSA, 2019)
  • 50.6% of U.S. young people aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received medical care in 2016. (Jama Network,2016)
  • 70.4% of young people in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosed mental illness. (NCYOJ, 2020)
  • The percentage of teenagers (aged 12-17) with major depression is 13%. This counts 3.1 million people. (MHA, 2020)
  • Eight-graders who spend over 10 hours on social media per week are 56% more likely to report being unhappy than those who spend less time on social media. (The Atlantic, 2017)
  • 97% of teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 have at least one account. (Mayo Clinic, 2018)
  • Almost 25% of teens view social media as having a negative effect. (Pew Research Center, 2018)
  • A quarter of all internet users worldwide are FOMO Networkers. (GWI, 2018) 
  • 51% of FOMO Networkers are female, whereas 49% are male. (GWI, 2018) 
  • The majority are 16-24 old females (17%), followed by 16-24 old males (15%). (GWI, 2018) 
  • FOMO is more prevalent in North America and EMA. (GWI, 2018) 
  • Those with FOMO use the internet to stay in touch with friends (57%), stay up to date on the news (55%), and research how to do things (55%). (GWI, 2018)

Conclusion

By analyzing the mental health statistics, we can see the nation’s mental health needs.
Although mental illness may be heritable, various factors contribute to developing a mental disorder. These factors need to be considered, so a healthcare professional can effectively diagnose and treat the mental illness.

* We’re using an archived version of the page as the source. 

Written by shortlister editorial team

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