
What percentage of people with common mental health problems get treatment?
The proportion of people with a common mental health problem using mental health treatment has significantly increased. Around one person in four aged 16–74 with symptoms of a common mental health problem was receiving some kind of mental health treatment in 2000 (23.1%) and 2007 (24.4%).
How many women in the US receive 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 ).
Which groups are most likely to receive mental health treatment?
Women are more likely than men to receive treatment for all mental health conditions, with 15% of women receiving treatment compared to 9% of men. 5 Young people aged 16-24 were found to be less likely to receive mental health treatment than any other age group. 6
What is an estimate for mental health treatment?
Estimates are also presented for any mental health treatment, defined as having taken medication for mental health, received counseling or therapy, or both in the past 12 months. The percentage of adults who had received any mental health treatment varied by age group.

What percentage of adults with mental illness actually seek treatment?
The percentage of adults with a mental illness who report unmet need for treatment has increased every year since 2011. In 2019, 24.7% of adults with a mental illness report an unmet need for treatment. Over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.
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.
What percentage of people will have a mental health problem?
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.
What are the statistics of mental health 2020?
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.
How much of the population needs therapy?
Prior to the pandemic, in 2018-2019, 5.7% (1.7 million) of adults in California reported an unmet need for mental health treatment in the past year, which was similar to the U.S. share of 6.2% (15.4 million).
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 age is most affected by mental health?
50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24. 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem3, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
What percentage of the population suffers from depression?
Overview. 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).
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 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 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 people have mental health issues in 2019?
3.8% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2019 (9.5 million people) Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group: Non-Hispanic Asian: 14.4%.
Is depression a cardiovascular disease?
People with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. People with serious mental illness are nearly twice as likely to develop these conditions.
What is the difference between AMI and SMI?
Two broad categories can be used to describe these conditions: Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Serious Mental Illness (SMI). AMI encompasses all recognized mental illnesses. SMI is a smaller and more severe subset of AMI.
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%).
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.
What is an AMI?
Any Mental Illness. Any mental illness (AMI) is defined as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. AMI can vary in impact, ranging from no impairment to mild, moderate, and even severe impairment (e.g., individuals with serious mental illness as defined below).
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.
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.
How many people have mental health problems?
1 in 5 adults live with a mental illness. Almost 1 in 25 adults live with a serious mental illness. 50% of chronic mental illness start before 14 years of age. 75% of chronic mental illness start by age 24. Just over 10 million people over the age of 18 have more than 1 addiction or mental health disorder.
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.
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:
What are the different categories of mental health?
The main classifications are: AMI – Any Mental Illness.
When does depression start?
For those suffering with major depression, initial onset typically occurs in the mid 20s. Annually, 26% of adults in America are personally impacted by diagnosable mental disorder. Each year, anxiety disorders are found in roughly 18% of adults aged 18 to 54, and include: Phobias.

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).
- 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%...
- 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).
- 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%...
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, the percentage who had received counseling or therapy decreased with age. Women were m…
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 or non-Hispanic black indicated one race only. Received therapy or counselin…
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 telephone. For more information about NHIS, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/n…
About The Authors
- Emily P. Terlizzi and Benjamin Zablotsky are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health Interview Statistics.
References
- 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...
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM–IV: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC. 1994.
- Eaton NR, Keyes KM, Krueger RF, Balsis S, Skodol AE, Markon KE, et al. An invariant dimensional liability mod…
- 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...
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM–IV: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC. 1994.
- 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....
- 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.