How Many People Have Mental Health Issues In America?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Mental illnesses are common in the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (

52.9 million in 2020

).

What percentage of the US has mental health issues 2020?

Prevalence of Mental Illness 2020


19.00%

of adults are experiencing a mental illness. Equivalent to over 47 million Americans. 4.55% are experiencing a severe mental illness.

What is the number 1 mental illness?

The most common are

anxiety disorders major depression and bipolar disorder

. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, this disorder is highly treatable, but only around 37 percent of those affected actually receive treatment. It is common to be diagnosed with both anxiety and depression.

What is the number 1 mental health problem in the US?


Anxiety disorders

are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.

Is the rate of mental illness increasing?


Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide

. Mainly because of demographic changes, there has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade (to 2017). Mental health conditions now cause 1 in 5 years lived with disability.

What age group has the most mental health issues?

  • 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year. …
  • 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.

What percentage of the world’s population has depression?

Depression is a common illness worldwide, with an estimated

3.8%

of the population affected, including 5.0% among adults and 5.7% among adults older than 60 years (1). Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression (1).

At what age does mental illness start?


Fifty percent of mental illness begins by age 14, and three-quarters begins by age 24

.

Which president cuts mental health funding?

Enacted by the

96th United States Congress
Citations Public law Pub.L. 96-398 Codification

How many teens have mental health issues?

Many adolescents experience positive mental health, but an estimated

49.5 percent

of adolescents has had a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.

What percentage of teens have depression?

About

20 percent

of all teens experience depression before they reach adulthood. Between 10 to 15 percent suffer from symptoms at any one time. Only 30 percent of depressed teens are being treated for it.

What population is most affected by mental illness?

  • 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%

Is mental health getting worse in America?

We are also seeing alarming numbers of children reporting thoughts of suicide and self-harm. We already knew that not enough was being done to support people living with mental illness, but the State of Mental Health in America report confirms the trend that

mental health in the U.S. continues to get worse

.

Is mental health declining in the US?


The mental health of the nation may have even declined in the past 20 years

. This trend is what Thomas Insel, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health, calls one of the “inconvenient truths” of mental illness. Suicide rates per 100,000 people have increased to a 30-year high.

Is mental illness increasing in America?

Statistics of Mental Illness in the United States


Between 2017 and 2018, 19% of adults experienced a mental illness, an increase of 1.5 million adults with mental illnesses from the previous year

. Rates of depression increased by 52% between 2005 and 2017 among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old.

Who is most likely to depression?

The percentage of adults who experienced any symptoms of depression was highest among those

aged 18–29

(21.0%), followed by those aged 45–64 (18.4%) and 65 and over (18.4%), and lastly, by those aged 30–44 (16.8%). Women were more likely than men to experience mild, moderate, or severe symptoms of depression.

What percentage of the US has bipolar disorder?

Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder Among Adults

An estimated

4.4%

of U.S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives.

How many people have mental health issues?

Mental illnesses are common in the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (

52.9 million in 2020)

. Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.

What country has the most mental illness?

1, and India. [Read about the challenges in collecting disability data.]

India, China and the U.S.

are also the countries most affected by anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to WHO.

What percent of the world has mental health issues?

Disorder Share of global population with disorder (2017) [difference across countries] Number of people with the disorder (2017) Any mental health disorder

10.7%

792 million
Depression 3.4% [2-6%] 264 million Anxiety disorders 3.8% [2.5-7%] 284 million Bipolar disorder 0.6% [0.3-1.2%] 46 million

Can you be born with a mental illness?

Genetics (heredity):

Mental illnesses sometimes run in families

, suggesting that people who have a family member with a mental illness may be somewhat more likely to develop one themselves. Susceptibility is passed on in families through genes.

What are 7 signs of a mental disorder?

  • Change in feelings or demeanor. …
  • Loss of interest. …
  • Change in sleeping habits. …
  • Low energy. …
  • Difficulty interacting. …
  • Appetite or weight changes. …
  • Uncontrollable emotions.

Can mental illness go away?


Mental illness does not usually go away on its own

. It’s not a phase your child will outgrow. Pay attention to the warning signs and ask questions. Talk with your child about their recent changes in behavior.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.