
What percentage of people with mental illness receive treatment?
Although mental illness affects 1 in every 4 adults, only 36% of people with a mental disorder actually receive treatment.
How many people suffer from multiple types of mental disorders?
Approximately 1 in every 2 people diagnosed as having a mental disorder may suffer from multiple disorders. Let’s take a look at the various types of mental disorders. Mood disorders, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia account for 9.5%, 6.7%, 1.5%, 2.5%, and 1.1% of mental illness cases respectively.
How many people with severe psychiatric disorders are receiving no treatment?
About 50% of individuals with severe psychiatric disorders (3.5 million people) are receiving no treatment. * * *45 percent untreated 41 percent untreated 46 percent untreated 42 percent untreated 35 percent untreated
Why is it important to measure how common mental illness is?
It’s important to measure how common mental illness is, so we can understand its physical, social and financial impact — and so we can show that no one is alone. These numbers are also powerful tools for raising public awareness, stigma-busting and advocating for better health care.

What percentage of people with mental health issues receive treatment?
One adult in eight (12.1%) receives mental health treatment, with 10.4% receiving medication and 3% receiving psychological therapy. The overlap within the statistics is due to 1.3% of those receiving treatment reporting receiving both medication and psychological therapy.
What percentage of mental health patients are treated only with medication?
More than 57 percent of patients now receive medication without psychotherapy, up from 44 percent.
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 is the success rate of therapy?
Research shows that most people who receive psychotherapy experience symptom relief and are better able to function in their lives. About 75 percent of people who enter psychotherapy show some benefit from it.
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.
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).
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 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.
Does the adhd assessment include diagnostic modules?
The assessment did not contain diagnostic modules assessing: adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders (although the assessment included a psychotic symptom screen).
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 leading cause of death for people held in local jails?
Suicide is the leading cause of death for people held in local jails.
What chemicals are associated with mental disorders?
Several different chemicals have been associated with mental disorders including acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, gaba (gamma-amino butyric acid, norepinephrine, adrenaline and epinephrine. Levels of these chemicals are not properly balanced in people with mental disorders. Too much acetylcholine causes depression and too little causes dementia.
Why is there a chemical imbalance in the brain?
Studies have shown that there is in fact a chemical imbalance which is responsible for the development of many mental disorders. Scientists believe that this chemical imbalance affects the brains ability to transmit messages from one neuron to another neuron therefore affecting the brains ability to function normally.
What percentage of Americans have depression?
Approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year.#N#Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men. However, men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.#N#While major depression can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.#N#With bipolar disorder, which affects approximately 2.6% of Americans age 18 and older in a given year -- the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s. 1 Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men. However, men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder. 2 While major depression can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s. 3 With bipolar disorder, which affects approximately 2.6% of Americans age 18 and older in a given year -- the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s.
How many people are affected by schizophrenia?
Approximately 1% of Americans are affected by schizophrenia. In most cases, schizophrenia first appears in men during their late teens or early 20s. In women, schizophrenia often first appears during their 20s or early 30s.
How many people have anxiety disorders?
Approximately about 18% of people ages 18- 54 in a given year, have an anxiety disorder in a given year. Anxiety disorders include: panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and phobias (social phobia, agoraphobia, and specific phobia).
What is the average age for a manic episode?
With bipolar disorder, which affects approximately 2.6% of Americans age 18 and older in a given year -- the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s.
When does panic disorder develop?
Panic disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Can you have more than one mental disorder?
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.
How many people have cognitive disabilities?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 12% of people in the U.S. had a cognitive disability, even when adjusted for age. The percentage of people with cognitive disability ranged from 8.9% in some states to 19.6%.
When did the ACA eliminate the individual mandate penalty?
The rankings for this indicator used data from the 2017-2018 NSDUH. In December 2017 , Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which eliminated the individual mandate penalty from the ACA.
What is mental disorder?
Mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, causing distress and problems getting through the day. 1 Among the more common mental disorders that can be diagnosed in childhood are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, ...
How common is depression in children?
Having another disorder is most common in children with depression: about 3 in 4 children aged 3-17 years with depression also have anxiety (73.8%) and almost 1 in 2 have behavior problems (47.2%). 3
What is the purpose of CDC survey?
CDC uses surveys, like the National Survey of Children’s Health, to understand which children have diagnosed mental disorders and whether they received treatment. In this type of survey, parents report on the diagnoses their child has received from a healthcare provider.
41 percent untreated
Mark Olfson et al. at Columbia reanalyzed 2003 national Medicaid claims for 49,239 individuals with schizophrenia who were hospitalized. They found that 41 percent of the patients received no psychiatric follow-up treatment in the month following their discharge from the hospital.
46 percent untreated
By examining prescription refill records on 25,000 patients, it was found that 46 percent of individuals who had been taking antipsychotic medications were no longer taking the medications 9 months later.
42 percent untreated
In another follow-up of the ECA study data, it was established that 42 percent of individuals with severe mental illnesses (as defined by the NIMH Advisory Mental Health Council) were not being treated. Narrow WE. Mental health service use by Americans with severe mental illnesses. Social Psychiatric Epidemiology 2000;35:147–155.
35 percent untreated
In the five-site Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) survey carried out 1980–1985, it was reported that 35 percent of individuals with schizophrenia and 35 percent of individuals with bipolar disorder had received no treatment in the previous 12 months. Health care reform for Americans with severe mental illnesses: report of the National Advisory Mental Health Council.
How many people with mental illness receive no treatment?
Globally, more than 70% of people with mental illness receive no treatment from health care staff. Evidence suggests that factors increasing the likelihood of treatment avoidance or delay before presenting for care include (1) lack of knowledge to identify features of mental illnesses, (2) ignorance about how to access treatment, ...
What are the attitudes toward mental illness?
Attitudes toward mental illness showed a more mixed pattern with respect to help seeking and disclosure intentions. A factor analysis of the shortened version of the Community Attitudes Toward the Mentally Ill scale,34used in the Department of Health Attitudes to Mental Illness Survey, suggested that intentions to seek help for a mental health problem were associated with attitudes of tolerance and support for community care, but not with stigmatizing attitudes of prejudice and exclusion. These findings suggested that the presence of strong positive attitudes might be more relevant to help seeking and disclosure than the absence of negative attitudes.
How does stigma affect mental health?
Stigma and discrimination and their influence on access to care may vary based on experience of mental distress or other sociodemographic factors. For instance, psychotic disorders are highly stigmatizing, and people with psychosis are more likely to be perceived as violent and unpredictable relative to people with other mental health problems. This can lead to high levels of experienced and anticipated discrimination in health care settings.20,21Moreover, substance abuse is consistently associated with high rates of public stigma and institutional discrimination that may discourage individuals with substance abuse problems from getting health care; these individuals fear poor treatment by health care providers or trouble with the authorities.22Multiple stigma among specific subpopulations may also exacerbate barriers to care. Different ethnic groups may have different histories and experiences with the health care system, and therefore, certain barriers may be more prevalent among individuals of different ethnic groups.23–25For example, negative experiences of coercion in mental health care may be more prevalent among ethnic minorities.26As a result, it has been suggested that future research should investigate subgroups and potential interactions between subgroups and on help-seeking attitudes and behavior.
Did there have to be a reduction in discrimination from mental health professionals?
However, there was no reduction in reports of discrimination from either mental health professionals or physical health care professionals.

Key Findings
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%...
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 …
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…
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.
- 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.
The Significance of Mental Illness
Statistics
- Although mental illness affects 1 in every 4 adults, only 36% of people with a mental disorder actually receive treatment. Approximately 1 in every 2 people diagnosed as having a mental disorder may suffer from multiple disorders. Let’s take a look at the various types of mental disorders. Mood disorders, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disord...
Effects on The Brain
- What actually happens in the brain of someone suffering from mental illness? Studies have shown that there is in fact a chemical imbalance which is responsible for the development of many mental disorders. Scientists believe that this chemical imbalance affects the brains ability to transmit messages from one neuron to another neuron therefore affecting the brains ability to f…
Chemical Effects on Mental Disorders
- What chemicals are linked to mental disorders? Several different chemicals have been associated with mental disorders including acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, gaba (gamma-amino butyric acid, norepinephrine, adrenaline and epinephrine. Levels of these chemicals are not properly balanced in people with mental disorders. Too much acetylcholine causes depression and too lit…
Disorders and Mental Illness
- Let’s examine what actually takes place in the body of someone who suffers from anxiety disorders, depression and schizophrenia. Anxiety disorders primarily affect your nerve impulses which causes twitching, lightheadedness, nausea, an accelerated heartbeat, as well as weight loss and weight gain. A burning sensation on the face, neck, ears, shoulders, or scalp is also commo…
Depression
- Depression is accompanied by headaches, insomnia, muscle aches, joint pain, changes in appetite, back pain, and chest pain. Schizophrenia causes a person to have blank, vacant facial expressions in addition to involuntary movement of the tongue and mouth. People with schizophrenia suffer from insomnia or excessive sleeping, inaccurate motor skills, extremely ac…