Treatment FAQ

number of u.s. adults who received mental health treatment

by Ms. Kallie Marvin MD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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The percentage of adults who had received any mental health treatment varied by age group. In 2020, 20.3% of adults had received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 16.5% who had taken medication for their mental health, and 10.1% who received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional (Figure 1).

Data from the National Health Interview Survey
In 2020, 20.3% of adults had received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 16.5% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 10.1% who received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

Full Answer

What percentage of the US population receives mental health treatment?

In 2019, 19.2% of U.S. adults received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

How common is mental health treatment among older adults?

The percentage of adults who had received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months was lower among those aged 18–44 (18.5%) compared with adults aged 45–64 (20.2%) and 65 and over (19.4%).

What percentage of people with mental illness have substance use disorders?

18.4% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2019 (9.5 million individuals) The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (5.8%) compared to those who do not (3.6%)

Are women more likely to have received any mental health treatment?

Women were more likely than men to have received any mental health treatment. Nearly one in four women received any mental health treatment (24.7%) in the past 12 months, compared with 13.4% of men ( Figure 2 ).

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How many people in US receive mental health treatment?

Mental health treatment or counseling among U.S. adults 2002-2020. In 2020, around 41.4 million adults in the United States received treatment or counseling for their mental health within the past year. Such treatment included inpatient or outpatient treatment or counseling, or the use of prescription medication.

How many adults in the US receive mental health treatment in a given year?

In 2020, among the 14.2 million adults with SMI, 9.1 million (64.5%) received mental health treatment in the past year.

What percentage of US adults received mental health services in 2019?

In 2019, 19.2% of U.S. adults received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

What percent of American adults deal with a mental illness?

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.

What are the statistics of mental health?

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.

What is the success rate of mental health treatment?

The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have a significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports.

How did Covid 19 affect mental health in the US?

Despite the differences in trends, the basic determinants of mental health were similar in three data sets in the same two years. Our findings raise questions about the robustness of the many studies claiming unprecedented increases in depression and anxiety among the young compared to older cohorts.

What race goes to therapy the most?

Outpatient mental health service use in the past year was highest for adults reporting two or more races (8.8 percent), white adults (7.8 percent), and American Indian or Alaska Native adults (7.7 percent), followed by black (4.7 percent), Hispanic (3.8 percent), and Asian (2.5 percent) adults.

What is the most common mental illness in the US?

Did You Know? 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.

At what age does 50% of all lifetime mental ill health Begin and 75% by what age?

50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

What percentage of people improve from therapy?

About 75 percent of people who enter psychotherapy show some benefit from it. Psychotherapy has been shown to improve emotions and behaviors and to be linked with positive changes in the brain and body.

How many people have received mental health treatment in 2019?

In 2019, 19.2% of adults had received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

Which group of people was more likely to receive mental health treatment than men?

Women were more likely than men to have received any mental health treatment.

Which group of people took more medication for mental health?

Non-Hispanic white adults (19.1%) were more likely than non-Hispanic black (11.1%) and Hispanic (10.3%) adults to have taken medication for their mental health.

Do women have mental health issues?

Women were more likely than men to have received any treatment for their mental health, consistent with the higher prevalence of common mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression, seen among women ( 3) as well as an increased willingness to seek mental health care ( 4 ). Receipt of any mental health treatment was higher among non-Hispanic white adults compared with non-Hispanic black and Hispanic adults. While the percentage of adults who had received counseling or therapy decreased as level of urbanization decreased, the percentage who had taken medication for their mental health increased with decreasing urbanization level.

How many people with mental illness do not receive mental health treatment?

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.

How many people have mental illness in 2019?

5.2 % of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2019 (13.1 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.

How much money does mental illness cost the economy?

Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year. 20.5% 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.

How many people in prison have mental illness?

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.

How many emergency department visits are there for mental health?

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)

How many hours a week do caregivers spend?

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

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

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

How many people with SMI received mental health treatment in 2019?

In 2019, among the 13.1 million adults with SMI, 8.6 million (65.5%) received mental health treatment in the past year. More females with SMI (70.5%) received mental health treatment than males with SMI (56.5%).

What is mental health services?

The NSDUH defines mental health services as having received inpatient treatment/counseling or outpatient treatment/counseling or having used prescription medication for problems with emotions, nerves, or mental health.

How many people have SMI in 2019?

In 2019, there were an estimated 13.1 million adults aged 18 or older in the United States with SMI. This number represented 5.2% of all U.S. adults. The prevalence of SMI was higher among females (6.5%) than males (3.9%).

What is the prevalence of SMI?

The prevalence of SMI was higher among females (6.5%) than males (3.9%).

What is the non response rate for adolescents?

The overall adolescent non-response rate was 24.4% . This is made up of non-response rates of 14.1% in the household sample, 18.2% in the un-blinded school sample, and 77.7% in the blinded school sample. Non-response was largely due to refusal (21.3%), which in the household and un-blinded school samples came largely from parents rather than adolescents (72.3% and 81.0%, respectively). The refusals in the blinded school sample, in comparison, came almost entirely (98.1%) from parents failing to return the signed consent postcard.

What is a serious mental illness?

Serious mental illness (SMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.

Can you be detected with a mental disorder that is not included in the diagnostic module?

People who only have disorders that are not included in these diagnostic modules may not be adequately detected. However, there are known patterns of high comorbidities among mental disorders; these patterns increase the likelihood that people who meet AMI and/or SMI criteria were detected by the study, as they may also have one or more of the disorders assessed in the SCID-I/NP.

How many people will receive mental health treatment in 2020?

adults who received mental health treatment or counseling within the previous year from 2002 to 2020. In 2020, it was estimated that around 41.4 million adults in the U.S. received mental health treatment or counseling at some time in the previous year.

What is mental health services?

Mental Health Services is defined as having received inpatient treatment/counseling or outpatient treatment/counseling or having used prescription medication for problems with emotions, nerves, or mental health. Respondents were not to include treatment for drug or alcohol use.

What is the most common type of mental health treatment?

The most common type of mental health treatmentamong U.S. adults is prescription medication, followed by outpatient and inpatient care.

What are the most common forms of mental illness?

The most common forms of mental illness are depression and anxiety.

How many families have taken advantage of mental health care?

Only 14% of families have taken advantage of mental health care because of issues related to the pandemic. Between the military and their families, over 50% have looked for mental health care. In other surveys about mental health care, the Cohen Veterans Network found that:

How many people believe mental health is equally important as physical health?

76% believe that their mental health is equally as important as their physical health. 52% of those in need of mental health care have tried to tough it out instead of seeking appropriate mental health care.

What is the leading cause of death for people over the age of 24?

Clinical depression (or major depression) Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) Diagnosable mental health conditions like substance abuse disorder or depressive disorders are common among individuals who commit suicide. For individuals from 15 to 24 years of age, suicide ranks as a leading cause of death.

Why is mental health important?

Good mental health is the cornerstone to being a complete and healthy individual, and raising awareness is crucial in the reduction of the stigma associated with mental health issues and mental health care.

What is the lowest incidence of a syphilis?

Lowest incidence – 18 to 25 at 38.9%

How many people know someone who has had to travel for more than an hour to get to and from recent appointments for mental?

46% either know someone who has, or they themselves have had to travel for more than an hour to get to and from recent appointments for mental health care

What is serious mental illness?

The definition of Serious Mental Illness is where one or more of the individual’s major life activities are limited substantially or there is serious functional impairment.

How many people with mental illness are not able to receive treatment?

Almost a quarter (22.3%) of all adults with a mental illness reported that they were not able to receive the treatment they needed. This number has not declined since 2011.

How many people with depression do not receive mental health care?

59% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. Youth experiencing MDE continue to go untreated. Even among the states with greatest access for youth, almost 50% of youth are still not receiving the mental health services they need.

How many states have reduced AMI?

Thirty-nine states saw a reduction in Adults with AMI who are uninsured. The largest reductions were seen in Louisiana (5.3%), New York (4.7%), Iowa (4.6%) and Arkansas (4.2%).

What percentage of people have cognitive disabilities?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 11.4% of people in the United States had a cognitive disability, even when adjusted for age. 1 The percentage of people with cognitive disability ranged from 7.8 percent in some states to 19.1 percent. A 2017 study.

How many people will be uninsured in 2020?

Adults with AMI who are Uninsured 2020. 10.3% (over 4.7 million) of adults with a mental illness remain uninsured. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the U.S. continues to see a decline in Americans who are uninsured.

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Women Were More Likely Than Men to Have Received Any Mental Health Treatment.

  1. A little over one in four women (25.6%) received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, compared with 14.6% of men (Figure 2).
  2. Women were more likely than men to have taken medication for their mental health (21.2% and 11.5%, respectively) and to have received counseling or therapy from a mental health profess…
  1. A little over one in four women (25.6%) received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, compared with 14.6% of men (Figure 2).
  2. Women were more likely than men to have taken medication for their mental health (21.2% and 11.5%, respectively) and to have received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional (12.1%...

Definitions

  • Any mental health treatment, past 12 months: A composite measure of adults who reported having taken medication for their mental health, received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional, or both in the past 12 months. Race and Hispanic origin: Adults categorized as Hispanic may be of any race or combination of races. Adults categorized as non-Hispanic wh…
See more on cdc.gov

Data Source and Methods

  • Data from the 2020 NHIS were used for this analysis. NHIS is a nationally representative household survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is conducted continuously throughout the year by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Interviews are typically conducted in respondents’ homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be conducted ove…
See more on cdc.gov

About The Authors

  • Emily Terlizzi and Tina Norris are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health Interview Statistics.
See more on cdc.gov

References

  1. Terlizzi EP, Zablotsky B. Mental health treatment among adults: United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 380. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.
  2. Vahratian A, Blumberg SJ, Terlizzi EP, Schiller JS. Symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and use of mental health care among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic—United States, August 2020–Feb...
  1. Terlizzi EP, Zablotsky B. Mental health treatment among adults: United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 380. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.
  2. Vahratian A, Blumberg SJ, Terlizzi EP, Schiller JS. Symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and use of mental health care among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic—United States, August 2020–Feb...
  3. Eaton NR, Keyes KM, Krueger RF, Balsis S, Skodol AE, Markon KE, et al. An invariant dimensional liability model of gender differences in mental disorder prevalence: Evidence from a national sample....
  4. MacKenzie CS, Gekoski WL, Knox VJ. Age, gender, and the underutilization of mental health services: The influence of help-seeking attitudes. Aging Ment Health 10(6):574–82. 2006.

Suggested Citation

  • Terlizzi EP, Norris T. Mental health treatment among adults: United States, 2020. NCHS Data Brief, no 419. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:110593external icon.
See more on cdc.gov

Key Findings

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Data from the National Health Interview Survey 1. In 2019, 19.2% of adults had received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional. 2. Women were more lik…
See more on cdc.gov

Women Were More Likely Than Men to Have Received Any Mental Health Treatment.

  1. Nearly one in four women received any mental health treatment (24.7%) in the past 12 months, compared with 13.4% of men (Figure 2).
  2. Women were more likely than men to have taken medication for their mental health (20.6% and 10.7%, respectively) and to have received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional (11.7%...
See more on cdc.gov

Summary

  • In 2019, 19.2% of U.S. adults received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional. While the percentage of adults who had taken medication for their mental health increased with age,...
See more on cdc.gov

Definitions

  • Any mental health treatment: A composite measure of adults who reported having taken medication for their mental health, received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional, or both in the past 12 months. Race and Hispanic origin: Adults categorized as Hispanic may be of any race or combination of races. Adults categorized as non-Hispanic white …
See more on cdc.gov

Data Source and Methods

  • Data from the 2019 NHIS were used for this analysis. NHIS is a nationally representative household survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. It is conducted continuously throughout the year by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Interviews are conducted in respondents’ homes, but follow-ups to complete interviews may be conducted over the teleph…
See more on cdc.gov

About The Authors

  • Emily P. Terlizzi and Benjamin Zablotsky are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health Interview Statistics.
See more on cdc.gov

References

  1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Healthexternal...
  2. American Psychiatric Association. DSM–IV: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC. 1994.
  1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Healthexternal...
  2. American Psychiatric Association. DSM–IV: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC. 1994.
  3. Eaton NR, Keyes KM, Krueger RF, Balsis S, Skodol AE, Markon KE, et al. An invariant dimensional liability model of gender differences in mental disorder prevalence: Evidence from a national sample....
  4. MacKenzie CS, Gekoski WL, Knox VJ. Age, gender, and the underutilization of mental health services: The influence of help-seeking attitudes. Aging Ment Health 10(6):574–82. 2006.

Suggested Citation

  • Terlizzi EP, Zablotsky B. Mental health treatment among adults: United States, 2019. NCHS Data Brief, no 380. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020.
See more on cdc.gov

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