It’s well-known that mental and emotional factors like stress, anxiety, depression, phobias, and such not only have an adverse effect mentally, but also physically.
For instance, stress is a cause of an imbalanced immune system.
Emotional problems and mental health disorders often contribute to and are associated with physical ailments like high blood pressure, pain, inflammation, heart problems, and more.
Let’s look at mental health statistics to learn more about why maintaining a positive outlook and taking care of your mental health is a big deal.
Key Mental Health Statistics 2025
- 52.9 million Americans are living with some form of mental illness.
- 21% of all Americans reported having a mental illness.
- More than 27 million American adults living with mental illness are not treated.
- Women are more susceptible to mental illness than men at 25.8% compared to 15.8%.
- Americans aged 18 to 25 are in the highest risk group for mental illness at 30.6%.
- 35.8% of Multiracial Americans report living with mental illness, which is the highest percentage of all races.
- An estimated 1% of Americans are living with schizophrenia.
- 64.5% of Americans received mental health services in 2020.
- 50% of mental illness presents by the age of 14.
- 36.7% of adolescents between 12 and 17 years old reported persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness.
Detailed Mental Health Statistics 2025
1. 52.9 Million Americans Are Living with Some Form of Mental Illness.
This data from late late 2021 paints a picture of the enormity of mental illness both in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and in general.
More seriously, people with thoughts of suicide increased by 664,000 people over 2020.
During 2020, one in five people experienced some type of mental illness, which uncovers the ill effects of the pandemic.
The lockdowns, lack of personal contact, not being able to see family and friends, and other things that impacted us all during this crisis resulted in higher levels of mental illness.
2. 21% of All Americans in 2020 Reported Having a Mental Illness.
Keep in mind that 21% accounts for people who reported experiencing mental illness. It doesn’t account for how many went unreported and untreated.
Some of the unreported cases could be due to the lack of health insurance coverage or coverage where mental health isn’t covered.
Another reason for this is that when surveys are taken, people don’t accurately record mental illness.
Even with more awareness of mental illness and the decline of stigma that surrounds the topic, people still want that information to be private, or they want to deal with it themselves.
3. More than 27 Million American Adults Living with Mental Illness Are Not Treated.
This is another figure that is surprising until you realize that the treatments are too expensive or people simply don’t have the insurance coverage for them.
27 million is nearly half of the total number of people with reported mental illnesses.
About 26.3 million adults received treatment via virtual services in 2020.
Telehealth was an essential solution with the no-contact orders across the country. It has been a real struggle for the world.
The data reports that more than 27 million American adults have been left untreated for whatever reason.
Whether treatment was deemed unnecessary, was unaffordable, refused, or was not covered by insurance the reasons are unsure.
4. an Estimated 1% of Americans Are Living with Schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a chronic, serious mental illness that impacts how a person thinks, behaves, relates to people, expresses their emotions, and how they perceive reality.
The old-time stigma of schizophrenia is slowly fading away with newly found medicines and treatments for those who are affected by it.
Most of the time, schizophrenia first presents in males in their late teenage years to early 20s.
For women, this disorder doesn’t present until between the ages of 20 and 30.
5. 64.5% of Americans Received Mental Health Services in 2020.
This figure means that well over half of the American population was treated for mental illness during 2020.
It’s believed that the pandemic played a major role in this uptake in mental illness, mild to severe.
Of this 64.5%, somewhere between 30% and 80% don’t seek treatment.
Again, it’s unknown whether factors like lack of insurance coverage, pride, stigma, or lack of funds create this figure.
6. 40 Million American Adults Experience Anxiety Disorders, Making It the Most Common Form of Mental Illness in The Country.
This figure represents 18.1% of the population each year. Fortunately, anxiety disorders are easily treatable, even though only 36.9% get any treatment.
Those with anxiety disorders commonly suffer from some form of depression.
Likewise, about half of those with depression get diagnosed with a form of anxiety disorder as well.
Some treatments for anxiety disorders include therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, alternative and complementary treatments, or medication.
The type and severity of anxiety play a role in how it’s treated.
Also, anxiety disorders have no cookie-cutter treatment, but instead personalized treatments for those with anxiety are in order.
Age-Related Mental Health Statistics 2024
In this section of the article, we will address statistics according to age. So, we will share statistics regarding adults, teens, and children alike.
7. 36.7% of Adolescents Between 12 and 17 Years Old Reported Persistent Feelings of Hopelessness or Sadness.
According to the CDC, between 2018 and 2019, 36.7% of adolescents between 12 and 17 years old experienced hopelessness or sadness.
Likewise, there is a rise in 2020 among American adolescents (12-17) in major depressive episodes, which represents 17% of the total American population in this group.
These feelings tend to be more prevalent among female adolescents in contrast to male adolescents 25.2% to 9.2%. It’s also highest among multiracial adolescents at 29.9%.
8. 50% of Mental Illness Presents by The Age of 14.
Compare that figure to the fact that three-quarters of mental illness presents by age 24.
We can only share what we gather according to the reported statistics, so these figures could be higher or lower.
According to the experts, early invention is the key to reducing the impact of mental illness, which is the same basic thing doctors tell us about physical illnesses.
By knowing the signs and symptoms, there is the potential to prevent or delay a severe mental illness altogether.
9. Americans Aged 18 to 25 Are in The Highest Risk Group for Mental Illness at 30.6%.
Younger American adults tend to be at higher risk of mental illness than their older counterparts.
The data shows that those between 18 and 25 represent a 30.6% risk, adults between 26 and 49 represent 25.3%, and for people aged 50 and up represent 14.5%.
While there isn’t much about why this is so, we can say that it could have to do with the hectic lifestyles of the younger crowds, having kids, being married, extracurricular activities, stress from work, stress from higher education, etc.
Compare that to the less stressful lifestyle and wiser methods of managing emotions that the 50 plus crowd experiences, and it could be as simple as lifestyle and wisdom, or retirement.
10. 2020 Data Reports that One out Of Every 10 People Under 18 Years Old Experienced a Mental Health Condition After Being Diagnosed with Covid-19.
The pandemic really took its toll on the nation’s youth and young adults.
Being isolated from their friends and family, having to adapt to virtual meetings, learning, telehealth, and virtual personal encounters, and the disruption in sleep habits and daily routines, created emotional and mental challenges for everyone.
Now is the time to be more aware of these challenges and the impact all this has had on the nation’s young people, as well as its aging demographic.
Since everyone has been impacted somehow, it’s important to listen and learn from one another.
11. America’s Veterans Are at Higher Risk for Experiencing Depression, Anxiety, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
According to 20-year long studies, nearly half of America’s war veterans are likely to experience some kind of impaired function.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) presents the highest risk among veterans.
PTSD often goes hand-in-hand with depression and anxiety, so it stands to reason that this group, that can range from 18 years old and up, is at risk for mental illness.
Gender-Related Mental Health Statistics 2025
We will discuss how mental health conditions impact genders in this section.
12. the Prevalence of Receiving Any Mental Illness (AMI) Care Was Higher Among Females (25.8%) than Males (15.8%).
Yes. There is an imbalance between genders in the mental illness realm.
Mental illness statistics reveal that women are almost twice as likely to experience any mental illness than their male counterparts.
We cannot claim to know why, but it may be because women are more apt to seek help for their mental health than men.
According to McLean Hospital reports, the most common form of mental health issues is depression.
Likewise, young women commonly experience anxiety disorders as well. Women experience these issues more than men, regardless of the reason.
Hormone fluctuations are given as a scientific explanation, which is valid since hormones in men and women can affect mood and behavior.
Also, women experience different levels of anxiety and/or depression according to age.
13. the Younger Generation of Those from The LGBTQ Community Are 2.5 Times Higher Risk for Experiencing Anxiety, Depression, or Substance Abuse.
Mental health stats regarding the LGBT community, reveal that self-harm associated with depression prior to puberty occurs because they feel so different from their counterparts at home, school, and in general public places.
Of the 4,800 participants from the United Kingdom, this demographic group is also at higher risk for attempting suicide.
More Interesting Mental Health Statistics 2025
14. 35.8% of Multiracial Americans Report Living with Mental Illness, Which Is the Highest Percentage of All Races.
Racism and discrimination is partly responsible for higher risk of mental illness among multiracial persons, but there is more to the story.
Multiracial individuals have always been stuck with the stigma of being who they are, which is totally unfair.
After all, hardly anyone is technically monoracial. However, somehow, this whole thing comes with a disconnect that should be a thing.
This occurs among Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, and African Americans.
It’s time to treat people like people and leave it there, regardless of their race, religion, gender, or age.
How about that? Do you think that could change the figures of the risks of mental illness among races?
15. 74% of Adults Using the Internet Also Engage on Social Media.
This statistic shows a 66% increase in adults using social media over the last decade.
This statistic relates to mental health because 64% of these social media users experience anxiety from being on social sites like Facebook.
Additionally. 58% of Americans think that social media has a negative influence on mental health.
71% of adults using social media blame their mental issues on disinformation and misinformation.
Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are named at the top of the list for platforms with the most negative impact on mental health.
16. Partaking in Regular Exercise Has a Positive Impact on Your Mental Health.
You might be surprised and delighted to know that regular exercise does make a positive impact on your mental health and overall well being.
Imagine that something that’s good for the body is also good for mental health.
Studies have proven that exercise can effectively reduce and treat mild to moderate depression just as well as an antidepressant prescription drug, only with the adverse side effects.
For instance, one study showed that walking for one hour reduces the risk of severe depression by 26%.
Likewise, exercise plays a major role in relieving anxiety, which is why it’s used as a treatment over medications.
Exercise is known to reduce stress and tension, increase mental and physical energy levels, and release your natural endorphins which enhance your mood.
Stress can result in physical ailments like neck or back pain, headaches, insomnia, heartburn, and other digestive issues.
It is also responsible for tenseness in your neck, shoulders, and back.
Some people have so much stress that they get a tightness in their chest, severe muscle cramps, and even a rapid heartbeat.
The good news is that a little exercise every day goes a long way to reduce stress and all the problems associated with it.
Exercise also helps with ADHD, PTSD and trauma, self-esteem, improved memory and focus, energy levels, more restful sleep, and more resilience.
17. 44 Million American Adults Experience Some Form of Mental Illness Every Year, but The Lack of Available Mental Healthcare, They Don’t Get Treatment.
Do you remember we discussed some level of why people don’t get treatment for mental illness. These few paragraphs will go into a little more detail.
It seems that the biggest reason that people don’t get mental health help is because there is little to no access to mental health providers.
Other barriers that people have to getting mental help include the lack of specialized training in mental health professionals, the stigma associated with mental illness, little to no awareness among family and friends for support, lack of ample insurance coverage, and other factors like the lack of monitoring and assessment tools.
Therefore, now we understand that there is more to getting mental help than simply refusing to seek it.
18. More than 40% of Countries Are Lacking in Mental Health Policies, and Another 30% Have No Policy or Program to Address Mental Health.
So, 40% of the globe has nothing in place for those who suffer with mental health conditions.
What’s worse is that approximately 25% of these countries have nothing related to mental health within their legislation.
What this means is that there are no or few laws to help people experiencing mental illness.
It’s this lack of recognition and awareness that has resulted in a rise in mental health issues, according to the latest mental illness statistics.
19. The Combination of Psychotherapy and Antidepressant Has the Potential to Help 60% of Those Experiencing Depressive Disorders.
In the past few years, depression has become a widespread problem among people of almost all ages.
Unfortunately, there is no specific “cure” for depression, but it seems that the combination of antidepressants and therapy is very helpful and usually successful.
It’s unfortunate that millions of individuals suffer in silence because of the stigma attached to depression, even though it’s lessened over the years.
Statistics provide awareness that people with depression also fear being judged, especially among teens and young adults.
20. American police officers fatally shot 1017 people in 2018, of which 25% had major mental health conditions.
It needs to be understood that not all police officers have the proper training to handle incidents where mental illness is involved.
It’s in this area that there should be more and better training among the police officer community in the nation.
There are some police departments in America working to put an end to fatalities in these situations by finding better ways to disarm or handle individuals with mental illness whether they have commited a crime or not.
It would help to teach officers to manage people in general before lethal force is needed.
21. Statistics from 2015 Revealed that 14% of Eu Hospital Beds Were Used for People Getting Psychiatric Treatments.
The EU (European Union) is a collection of several countries in Europe such as Belgium, Denmark, Greece, France, etc.
Remember, the United Kingdom left the EU at the beginning of 2020, so it’s not included in this mental health fact.
Some of the mental health treatments were for behavioral disorders as well as mental disorders like neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s.
22. Of The Over 10 Million People Cycling Through the Prison System in The US, 16% Have a Mental Illness.
This statistic is alarming considering how many people are imprisoned in America.
It’s estimated that 40% of all prisoners have a serious mental illness and have been incarcerated during some point in their lives.
To put some perspective on statistics like this, just 30 years ago, 6.4% of inmates in prisons and jails had a serious mental illness.
Could this be due to the lack of sufficient mental health care solutions?
23. West Virginia Is the State with The Highest Rate of Depressive Disorders in America.
When it comes to depression, West Virginia is the least healthy state with a 26.4% depression rate.
At the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii is the healthiest state with a 12.7% depression rate.
To put this in perspective, the whole of the United States has a 19.5% depression rate.
This data is from reported depressive disorders, which include depression, severe depression, and mild depression (dysthymia).
The good news is that depressive disorders, like anxiety, are highly treatable with lifestyle changes, yoga, exercise, therapy, medications, or a combination of treatments.
24. Statistics Report that In Children Between 2 and 4 Years Old, 14.9% Developed a Mental Disorder by The Age of 4 Where the Parents Suffered from Poor Mental Health.
It’s true that mental health disorders can be genetically passed on or be passed on through an environment where poor mental health exists.
Dysfunctional families often produce children with mental health issues of some kind ranging from minor to severe.
This is especially prevalent in households where there is violence, abuse of any kind, and in low income families.
There are also other issues that can exacerbate mental illness.
25. 4.5 Million American Children Are Diagnosed and Living with Anxiety Disorders.
This is a sad statistic that affects children in America. It’s sad no matter where the children reside.
Even though anxiety is easy enough to treat, it’s still hard to imagine children suffering with such an adult-style mental illness.
Children can get anxiety from undue stress like one gets from being bullied at home or at school.
Since not all anxiety is the same, the treatments are customized to the child. Also, sometimes children are born with anxiety through genetics or a physical anomaly.
Disproven Mental Health Myths
Now we are getting into some of the myths of mental illness that need to be addressed.
26. Myth: Mental Illness Is a Sign of Weakness of Character.
This is false. Having a mental illness has no connection to a person’s strength or weakness of character.
It’s also not a sign of laziness as some misconceptions have led people to believe.
27. Myth: People with Mental Illness Are Unpredictable and Violent.
The fact is that most people with mental health issues are no more violent than those with good mental health.
Only about 3% to 5% of those with mental health problems are associated with violent acts.
If anything, those with mental illness are more likely to be victimized in violent crimes.
You may not even know someone suffers with mental illness because they are usually productive and active people.
28. Myth: It’s Impossible to Prevent Mental Health Problems.
The truth is that there are ways to prevent mental health issues, depending on the problem, trauma, or other risk factors involved.
When we promote well-being, people can have mental illnesses , but still be high functioning and productive, build good relationships, lower crime rates, and overall improve their quality of life, therefore improving the quality of life of others around them.
29. Myth: Self-Help and Therapy Are Useless when You Can Take a Pill.
The only thing that’s true about this statement is that people think taking pills solves all their problems.
However, treating mental health nowadays includes a variety of different therapies, yoga, meditation, or medication.
Mental illness requires a personalized treatment plan to be successful.
30. Myth: You Are More Likely to Suffer from Cancer, Heart Disease, or Diabetes than Mental Illness.
This is a real myth about mental illness. According to statistics, people are more apt to experience some level of mental illness in their lifetimes than they are to develop cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
By debunking these myths, you can be a better informed and more aware person when it comes to mental health disorders.
FAQs
What Causes Mental Health Issues?
Mental health problems can arise due to a number of social, biological, or psychological issues.
Trauma extends not only to children, but also to adults. Anyone can experience a trauma that can trigger a mental illness.
What Are the Top Three Mental Health Problems?
In America, the three most prevalent mental health disorders include bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders (depression).
These mental disorders impact each person differently and at different levels.
Is It Possible to Heal from Mental Illness without Prescription Drugs?
There is much debate about using medications in the mental health community.
Some mental health professionals feel that medications are the best route to go in some cases, while others think trying alternative natural therapies are better. It’s all a matter of opinion.
That said, genuine mental illnesses are medical illnesses and are often chronic without a cure, but there are treatments to help over a lifetime.
Which Country Has the Most Problems with Mental Illness?
A survey conducted across 14 countries revealed that the United States has the highest rate of mental health issues at 27%. Ukraine ranks second to the US at 21%.
How Many People in The World Suffer from Depression?
Since depression falls under depressive disorders, it’s considered a mental health issue.
Approximately 5% of adults across the globe suffer from depression. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders.
Are Mental Disorders the Primary Cause of Suicide?
According to mental health awareness statistics from the National Library of Medicine, suicides are mostly associated to psychiactic disease like depression, especially where substance use is also involved.
Consequently, other mental disorders like organic mental disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, personality disorders, and trauma-related mental disorders may also contribute to suicide rates.
Who Should Diagnose Mental Illnesses?
The most qualified professional for diagnosing mental illness is a psychiatrist.
These medical professionals have specialized training to diagnose and treat mental illnesses of all kinds.
These specialists may use a variety of therapies and/or medications to treat mental health problems.
A psychologist can also partake in treatments, but they cannot prescribe medications or diagnose mental illness.
How Many Types of Mental Health Disorders Are There?
The ongoing, living list of mental disorders currently consists of more than 200 mental illnesses.
The most common and familiar mental disorders include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical anxiety, and clinical depressive disorders.
However, there are many other mental disorders on the list. Some you have likely never even heard about before.
How Many People Die by Suicide Each Year?
One individual dies every 40 seconds from suicide. Suicide is considered the primary cause of death in people between 15 and 29 years old.
Nearly 800,000 people die from suicide each year.
How Many People in The United States Suffer from Mental Health Problems?
Approximately 51.5 million Americans suffer from some form of mental disorder.
Mental health is a major issue across the globe, but about 20.6% of the US population has some kind of mental illness.
What Effect Does Education and Employment Have on Mental Health?
The fact is that mental health disorders cannot be attributed to one single aspect.
There are a variety of causes for mental disorders that include social, economic, environmental, biological, and other elements.
What is known about how education and employment affect mental health is that self-reported depression is prevalent among adults between 25 and 64 years old among those with the highest educational degrees and employment statuses.
While this data relates to Spain in 2014, it’s likely not much different today in any other country. Sadly, it makes sense.
How Many Students Suffer with Mental Health Problems?
In an extensive study amongst 196 colleges, it’s been shown that the number of students with mental health problems is on the rise.
The results from this study revealed that 34% of participants had been treated for mental health issues over the past year.
In other related mental illness statistics, 36% of college students lived their lives with chronic mental health conditions.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered mental health topics related to depression, anxiety, phobias, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and more.
We have informed you of how mental illness affects children and adults.
We also showed proof that debunks the myths and stigma that are sometimes associated with mental illness.
Today, there is less stigma surrounding mental illness that has been replaced with a little more understanding and tolerance.
Mental health statistics like the ones we’ve shared here show you that there are different levels of mental disorders and a wide variety of treatment options to match the needs of the individual.
This article has brought awareness of how so many countries have no laws or policies regarding those with mental illness, which means these people are either swept under the rug, imprisoned, or otherwise neglected.
It’s also brought awareness to how some law enforcement agencies in America are trying to implement better training and resources for officers to handle people with mental illness without using lethal force.
If only more would jump on this bandwagon.
Luckily, not all individuals suffering from any form of mental illness are neglected.
Where there are resources and services, people have places to go where they can get help.
Unfortunately, not everyone has access to such resources, which is yet another problem in this world.
Do you know someone with mental illness? Have you learned anything new from this article regarding mental health?
Have you ever been diagnosed with clinical depression, anxiety, or other mental disorder?
If you feel like you are experiencing signs of any mental illness, seek help and take care of yourself. Take care of your whole self.
