In 2021-2022, 23% of adults experienced a mental illness, equivalent to nearly 60 million Americans.
5.86% of these experienced a severe mental illness. The state prevalence of adult mental illness ranges
7.12% in Utah.
13% of youth ages 12-17 reported experiencing serious thoughts of suicide. The highest identified as Native American.
1 in 5 youth had at least one major depressive episode. Over half of them – nearly 3 million youth - did not receive treatment. Of those who did receive treatment, only 65% said it helped them.
56.1% of youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment.
In 2022, 48.3% of youth with MDE reported an unmet need for treatment.
The main reason youth reported not receiving care was they felt they should have been able to handle their mental health on their own (86.9%).
o followed by being worried about what people would think or say if they got treatment (59.8%)
o being worried that the information they shared would not be kept private (57.8%)
o and not knowing how or where to get treatment (55.5%).
The state prevalence of untreated youth with depression ranges from 31.50% in the District of Columbia to 82.10% in South Dakota.
The vast majority of individuals with a substance use disorder in the U.S. are not receiving treatment. 18% of adults in the U.S. had a substance use disorder in the past year. Of them, 77% did not receive treatment.
The state prevalence of adults with substance use disorder ranges from 14.15% in Utah to 24.30% in Alaska.
Over three-quarters (76.9%) of all adults with a substance use disorder did not receive the treatment they needed.
Most adults with SUD who sought or thought about receiving treatment reported they didn’t because they thought they should have been able to handle their drug or alcohol use on their own (75.4%).
o This was followed by: Not ready to start treatment (58.6%), not ready to stop or cut back using alcohol or drugs (48.4%)
o thought it would cost too much (47.7%)
o and did not know how or where to get treatment (47.3%).
The state prevalence of adults with SUD with unmet treatment needs ranges from 67.24% in West Virginia to 83.99% in Illinois.
9% of youth in the U.S. had a substance use disorder. Youth were more likely to struggle with drugs than alcohol - 3% had an alcohol use disorder while 7% had a drug use disorder.
The state prevalence of youth with MDE ranges from 16.02% in the District of Columbia to 24.96% in Oregon.
Cost is still a significant barrier to accessing mental health care. 1 in 4 adults with frequent mental distress could not see a doctor due to cost, a 2% increase over the last report.
10% of adults with a mental illness are uninsured. In 2022, 64% of uninsured adults said that they did not have health insurance because they could not afford it.
The state prevalence of uninsured adults with mental illness ranges from 2.60% in the District of Columbia to 22.90% in Texas.
Millions of adults and youth in the U.S. still lack parity in insurance coverage of mental health and substance use services. 10% of adults and 8.5% of youth still have private insurance that does not cover mental health.
The state prevalence of adults with AMI whose private insurance did not cover mental or emotional problems ranges from 3.60% in Vermont to 24.70% in Mississippi.
24.58% of adults reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days each month could not see a doctor due to costs. This was a 2% increase over last year’s report.
The prevalence of adults with 14+ mentally unhealthy days a month who could not see a doctor due to cost ranges from 12.88% in Hawaii to 4.95% in Georgia.
This report is alarming for so many reasons. Experts believe that what's happening worldwide is contributing to the mental health crisis. It could get worse before it gets better. There are no easy solutions. Resources are limited. I'm not an expert, but these are my thoughts.
Each of us must ask what we can do to improve the numbers. One person can make a difference! We need to be more aware of the mental health needs of those we come in contact with. If someone seems to be struggling, ask if you can help. Let them know that you care and are there for them.
Be more open about your mental health. Share that you've been to a counselor or take medication, if applicable. Normalize asking for help. Don't let money be the reason someone doesn't get help. Instead, help them locate community resources or programs that provide help at no cost or a reduced rate. Do whatever you can to make getting treatment easier and more affordable.
The number one reason people don't ask for help is they think they can handle it. But many mental health problems get worse when you do nothing. Especially drug or alcohol use. Somehow we have to convince people that it is ok to ask for help. Don't put a negative label on them. If addiction is the problem telling someone they are destroying their life and health probably will not work. Knowing that you care about them and that you will be there for them works better.
There's a critical shortage of MH providers. Have you thought about what you could do? Many agencies rely on volunteers. There are programs like Peer Support Specialists that do not require advanced education. Light University is training thousands of people worldwide to become Mental Health Coaches. I returned to college at the age of 63 to study mental health. It's never too late and you're never too old. Those who've overcome the greatest MH battles often make the best workers in this field.
I care about you. What can I do to help? I'm here for you. Don't say this unless you mean it. Letting down a person struggling with MH issues only makes the problem worse. Often we don't want to get involved. We don't know what to say or do. If we're going to make a difference in the mental health crisis we have to be more aware of what happening with the people around us, connect with them, and be willing to help.
How can you contribute to make a difference?
To read more about this report: For people wanting information about mental health facts and conditions, policy measures, and more, our research and reports, webinars, podcast, blog, and screening tools provide guiding resources and tools to help understand and improve your mental health. https://mhanational.org/get-information
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