Mental Health Statistics

Global Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders

Mental health disorders are sadly quite common globally. According to 2019 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental health disorder. That’s around 970 million people around the world who struggle with mental health issues.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of individuals with anxiety and depressive disorders increased significantly. Studies revealed that anxiety disorders went up by 26% and depressive disorders went up by 28%.

Worldwide research from WHO in 2019 also indicated that:

• 301 million people had an anxiety disorder, including 58 million children and adolescents
• 280 million people had depression, including 23 million children and adolescents
• 40 million people had bipolar disorder
• 273 million people had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• 24 million people had schizophrenia
• 40 million people had disruptive behavior and dissocial disorders such as conduct disorder and oppositional defiant disorder
• 4 billion people had neurodivergent disorders, which include ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

A 2015 study on mental disorder mortality reported that an estimated 8 million or 14.3% of deaths worldwide are attributed to mental disorders.

WHO reports that the prevalence of all mental illnesses has increased by 50% worldwide between 1990 and 2013. The rise in cases is partly due to improved diagnostic tools and more people seeking diagnosis.

However, this does not account for all new cases, with mental disorder diagnoses expected to continue rising.

Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in the United States

Mental illness is even more prevalent in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness.

The CDC also states that about 1 in 25 US adults lives with a serious mental illness, like major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that 50% of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by 14 years old, and 75% begin by 24 years old.

Research from the National Institute of Mental Health indicates that:

• 8 million or 22.8% of US adults experienced mental illness in 2021
• 1 million or 5.5% of US adults experienced a serious mental illness in 2021
• 7 million or 16.5% of US youth experienced a mental health disorder in 2021

Mental Health Disorders in Specific Populations

Many factors can influence the development of mental health disorders.

Age, gender, race, and sexual and gender orientation can heavily influence the development and prevalence of mental illness.

Mental Health Disorders by Age

Mental illness affects people of all ages. However, certain age groups face different challenges and risk factors.

• The CDC states that over 1 in 5 children aged 13 to 18 either currently have a serious mental disorder or will develop one during their lifetime.
• Approximately 18% of people ages 18 to 54 have an anxiety disorder in a given year, the National Institute of Mental Health reports.
• The National Institute of Mental Health also states that Caucasian men over the age of 85 have the highest suicide rates. However, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and adults 15 to 24 years old.

Mental Health Disorders by Gender

Gender plays a huge factor in mental illness. The same mental illness in men and women may present differently due to differences in hormones, development, and societal expectations.

All genders face unique challenges and obstacles when seeking diagnosis and treatment for mental health disorders.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health:

• Four times as many men than women commit suicide, but women attempt suicide more often than men.
• Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men.
• Men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.

Mental Health Disorders by Race

Race also has a considerable impact on mental health disorders and their prevalence. Racial discrimination and socioeconomic disparities are still significant barriers to mental health and suicide prevention for people of color.

However, because of a lack of access to mental healthcare, mental illness among particular communities may be underreported.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, mental health disorders affect the following ethnicities:

• Asian: 16.4%
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 18.1%
• Black or African American: 21.4%
• Hispanic or Latino: 20.7%
• White: 23.9%
• American Indian or Alaska Native: 26.6%
• Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 34.9%

Mental Health Disorders by LGBTQ+

People who identify as members of the LGBTQ or LGBTQIA+ community face numerous challenges that may negatively impact their mental health or contribute to mental illness.

Despite the strides made toward acceptance, rejection and discrimination from family, friends, coworkers, employers, healthcare providers, and businesses still exist for LGBTQ individuals.

• According to SAMHSA, members of the LGBTQIA+ community are twice as likely to experience a mental health condition, and SAMHSA also reports that 50.2% of LGBTQIA+ adults have mental illness.
• Research from the Trevor Project indicates that transgender people are almost four times as likely to struggle with mental illness.
• The Trevor Project also reports that transgender youth aged 13 to 24 years old are almost two times as likely to struggle with mental illness. Transgender youth are also twice as likely to experience depressive symptoms, seriously consider self-harm, and attempt suicide compared to cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning youth.

Common Mental Health Disorders

Common mental health disorders include anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, and neurodivergence disorders.

The National Institute on Mental Health reports the following statistics for each common mental health disorder:

• An estimated 21 million (or 8.3%) of US adults had at least one major depressive episode in their lifetime.
• An estimated 103.6 million or 19.1% of US adults had any anxiety disorder in their lifetime, and an estimated 7.6 million or 2.3% of US adults had obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in their lifetime.
• An estimated 71.3 million or 21.4% of US adults had any mood disorder in their lifetime, and 14.6 million or 4.4% of US adults had bipolar disorder in their lifetime.
• An estimated 28.9 million or 8.7% of US children had ADHD in their lifetime, and an estimated 14.6 million or 4.4% of US adults had ADHD in their lifetime.
• An estimated 5.4 million or 2.21% of US adults had autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 1 in 36 kids or 2.8% of children had ASD.
• In regards to eating disorders, 3.9 million or 1.2% of US adults had binge eating disorder, 1.9 million or 0.6% of US adults had anorexia nervosa, and 999,900 or 0.3% of US adults had bulimia nervosa.
• An estimated 30.3 million or 9.1% of US adults had any personality disorder in their lifetime, and an estimated 4.6 million or 1.4% of US adults had borderline personality disorder in their lifetime.
• An estimated 0.25% to 0.75% of US adults had schizophrenia in their lifetime; despite the low prevalence, schizophrenia is among the top 15 leading causes of disability worldwide.

Mental Health and Addiction Statistics

There is a high rate of comorbidity between addiction and mental health disorders. SAMHSA reports that around 19.4 million, or 33.5% of U.S. adults, experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2021 alone.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reveals that of the 42.1 million adults with mental illness, 18.2% also had substance use disorders. The 20.3 million adults with substance use disorder also had mental illnesses.

Considering how often substance use disorder and other mental illnesses co-occur, it’s unsurprising that many people with substance abuse issues would experience worsening mental health and vice versa.

Treatment and Help-Seeking Statistics

With 1 in 8 people worldwide and 1 in 5 people in the US experiencing mental illness, the mental health field has struggled to keep up with the demand.

In addition to the shortage of community services and mental healthcare providers, there are also financial and societal barriers to treatment.

• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that, among US adults who received mental health services, 51.7% were female and 40% were male.
• SAMHSA also reports that among people who received mental health services for their mental illness:
  • 2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment
  • 4% of U.S. adults with serious mental illness received treatment
  • 6% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 with a mental health disorder received treatment
• The 2022 SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicated that the following demographics obtained mental health services were obtained:
  • • Non-Hispanic Asian: 25.4%
    • Hispanic or Latino: 36.1%
    • Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 39.4%
    • Non-Hispanic White: 52.4%
    • Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 52.2%
    • Male: 40%
    • Female: 51.7%
    • Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 55.6%

Getting Help for Mental Health Disorders

Finding treatment for your mental illness can be overwhelming. However, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone, and treatment options are available.

Talk to your healthcare provider about what mental health issues you’re having and see what treatment options they might suggest.

If you don’t have a doctor or want to learn more about treatment options near you, try SAMHSA’s online treatment locator or call 1-800-662-4357. SAMHSA can provide you with a list of mental health treatment options in your area.