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Mental Health Statistics 2026

Mental health statistics describe how common mental illness is, who is affected and how often people receive care. This reference gathers 106 sourced figures on U.S. prevalence, individual conditions, treatment and workforce gaps, costs, historical trends and the global picture. Federal surveys, WHO estimates and peer-reviewed research retain their observation years and population definitions, so a screening result, a diagnosis and a treatment measure can be read in context.

Every figure independently sourced Peer-reviewed & federal data Updated quarterly Every source linked
Mental health statistics 2026: people crossing a city square in soft late afternoon light

SAMHSA’s 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 54.6 million U.S. adults, or 20.6%, had a mental illness in the previous year, according to its release dated July 27, 2026. Among adults with any mental illness, 50.9% received mental health treatment. These estimates cover the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. Historical figures remain dated below because different survey years, definitions and report editions answer different questions.

Last full review: September 16, 2026 · sourced from NIMH, SAMHSA, the CDC, WHO, Mental Health America and peer-reviewed research.

Ten numbers that define mental health in the United States in 2026

  1. SAMHSA’s release dated July 27, 2026 estimated that 54.6 million U.S. adults, or 20.6%, had any mental illness in 2025. SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings

  2. SAMHSA’s release dated July 27, 2026 estimated that 18.2 million U.S. adults, or 6.9%, had serious mental illness in 2025, a category involving substantial interference with major life activities. SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings

  3. CDC’s 2025 NCHS report found that 13.1% of Americans aged 12 and older met a depression symptom threshold in August 2021 to August 2023, compared with 8.2% in 2013 to 2014. CDC, 2025

  4. SAMHSA’s release dated July 27, 2026 reported mental health treatment in 50.9% of U.S. adults with any mental illness and 67.7% of those with serious mental illness in 2025. SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings

  5. SAMHSA reported that 61.4% of U.S. adults with any mental illness who perceived an unmet need for treatment in 2025 thought treatment would cost too much. SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings

  6. Mental Health America’s 2025 edition reported 320 people per mental health provider in 2024, ranging from 140 to 1 in Alaska and Massachusetts to 740 to 1 in Alabama. Mental Health America, 2025

  7. 1.2 billion people worldwide, nearly one in seven, were living with a mental disorder in 2023, according to WHO's current estimate. WHO, 2023 data

  8. 12 billion working days are estimated to be lost globally each year to depression and anxiety, at US$1 trillion in lost productivity, according to WHO’s fact sheet dated September 15, 2026. WHO, September 15, 2026

  9. NCHS Data Brief 548 reported 48,824 U.S. suicide deaths in final 2024 mortality data, about 500 fewer than in 2023. NCHS Data Brief 548, 2026

  10. CDC reported that 21% of U.S. children aged 3 to 17 had ever been diagnosed with a mental, emotional or behavioral health condition as of 2021. CDC, 2021 data

Infographic summarising four Mental health figures: 59.3 million, u.S. adults lived with any mental illness in 2022; 21.4 million, u.S. adults had a past-year major depressive episode in 2024; 36.2%, u.S. adults aged 18 to 25 had past-year any mental illness in 2022; 52.1%, adults with any mental illness received treatment in 2024.
The four headline figures from this page. Every number here is repeated, sourced and dated in the sections below.

How common mental illness is in the U.S.

NIMH summarizes the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and presents 2022 data, while SAMHSA publishes newer rounds of that survey directly. These estimates cover the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population. Any mental illness and serious mental illness are estimated from survey indicators using a prediction model informed by clinical interviews. SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release provides 2025 findings; the dated NIMH benchmark below remains useful for its demographic detail, while the newer national estimate appears alongside it.

59.3 million

U.S. adults lived with any mental illness in 2022

NIMH estimates past-year any mental illness at 59.3 million adults, or 23.1% of people aged 18 and older, using 2022 NSDUH data. This category covers diagnosable mental, behavioral or emotional disorders of varying severity and excludes developmental and substance use disorders. SAMHSA’s 2024 report gives 61.5 million adults and 23.4%. Both estimates are close to one in four. They describe the survey’s civilian, noninstitutionalized population; people in institutions, active-duty military personnel and people without a fixed address outside shelters are not fully represented. SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release subsequently reports 54.6 million adults, or 20.6%, for 2025. Comparing these separately published vintages alone cannot establish a like-for-like change in population prevalence.

18.2 millionAdults with a serious mental illness in 2025
SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release reports 6.9% of adults with serious mental illness in 2025. This category requires substantial interference with major life activities and is a subset of any mental illness. The earlier 2024 report estimated 14.6 million adults, or 5.6%; those separately published estimates retain their own report years and should not be treated as a directly established trend.
19.7 millionAdults with a past-year major depressive episode in 2025
SAMHSA’s analysis of the 2025 NSDUH reports a major depressive episode in 7.4% of adults. Its earlier annual reports gave 21.4 million adults, or 8.2%, in 2024 and 21.9 million, or 8.5%, in 2023. These survey estimates identify episodes from reported symptoms and differ from clinician-recorded diagnoses; comparisons across releases require the corresponding survey definitions.
15.1%Adolescents with a past-year major depressive episode in 2025
SAMHSA estimates 3.7 million adolescents ages 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode in 2025; this survey-based measure includes young people whose symptoms did not lead to a recorded diagnosis. The earlier 2024 estimate was 15.4%, with 11.3% of all adolescents having an episode with severe impairment; those impairment and prevalence figures remain specific to 2024.
13.1%People aged 12 and older screening positive for depression, August 2021 to August 2023
NCHS defined depression as a score of at least 10 on the PHQ-9 symptom questionnaire. It asks about the previous two weeks, so this measure differs from both a past-year major depressive episode and a diagnosis recorded by a health professional.
21.2 millionAdults with both a mental illness and a substance use disorder in 2024
Both conditions were reported within the same 12-month reference period. The survey cannot establish whether they occurred at the same time. This overlap also means the mental illness and substance use disorder totals cannot simply be added together.
86.6 millionAdults with a mental illness, a substance use disorder, or both in 2024
That is 33.0% of the adult population, or about one in three. The combined category counts each person once, including people who had both any mental illness and a substance use disorder during the previous year. It uses the survey’s population and diagnostic definitions.
54.6 millionU.S. adults with any mental illness in 2025
SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release places past-year any mental illness at 20.6% of adults. This national survey estimate counts a broader range of severity than serious mental illness and describes adults living in the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. It is distinct from a count of people who sought care or received a diagnosis.

Past-year any mental illness among U.S. adults, by group, 2022

Aged 18 to 2536.2%
Aged 26 to 4929.4%
Women26.4%
Men19.7%
Aged 50 and older13.9%

Source: NIMH, mental illness statistics. Bars are scaled to the highest value shown.

Conditions by the numbers

The table summarizes the 18 condition and topic pages in this series, using each page’s dated prevalence figure or a newer directly matching estimate already present on that page. The accompanying links lead to the full condition statistics, with their sources and population definitions. Some topics, including loneliness and stress, describe experiences rather than diagnoses. Different survey years and reference periods make direct rankings between rows inappropriate.

21.4 million

U.S. adults had a past-year major depressive episode in 2024

SAMHSA estimated a major depressive episode in 8.2% of adults in 2024. NIMH’s separate historical anxiety estimate was 19.1%, using interviews conducted from 2001 to 2003. That older anxiety category included OCD and PTSD, which later moved to separate diagnostic groups. These figures show the importance of definitions, but they cannot establish a current ranking of diagnoses. A major depressive episode can also occur in more than one mood disorder, so an episode count should not be presented as a count of one diagnosis.

19.1%U.S. adults with a past-year anxiety disorder
NIMH’s estimate comes from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, conducted from 2001 to 2003. Its broad historical anxiety category included OCD and PTSD. The estimate remains useful as a dated survey benchmark and should not be labeled as current prevalence.
2.8%U.S. adults with past-year bipolar disorder
The 2001 to 2003 survey also estimated lifetime prevalence at 4.4%. Past-year and lifetime measures answer different questions: the former concerns a recent period, while the latter includes earlier episodes even when someone is currently well. Neither measures diagnostic delay.
2.3%U.S. adults with lifetime OCD in the 2001 to 2003 survey
The National Comorbidity Survey Replication estimated lifetime prevalence at 2.3% and past-year prevalence at 1.2%. Lifetime prevalence includes episodes before the year of interview, including those that resolved. These historical estimates do not count current U.S. cases.
About 6%U.S. adults with PTSD in their lifetime
The VA’s rounded estimate comes from the 2012 to 2013 NESARC-III survey. It includes people who experienced PTSD earlier in life and later recovered, so it is broader than the share currently experiencing PTSD. The VA’s epidemiology summary identifies the survey and diagnostic framework.

Headline figure for each condition page in this series

ConditionHeadline figureSource
Depression8.5% of U.S. adults had a past-year major depressive episode in 2023SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH
Anxiety19.1% of U.S. adults had a past-year anxiety disorder, 2001 to 2003 surveyNIMH, Any Anxiety Disorder
ADHD11.7% of U.S. children aged 3 to 17 had current ADHD in 2024Robinson et al., HRSA, 2026
Autism1 in 31 children aged eight identified with autism in CDC surveillance communities in 2022Shaw et al., CDC ADDM surveillance, 2025
PTSDAbout 6% of U.S. adults in their lifetime, 2012 to 2013 surveyVA National Center for PTSD, historical survey estimate
OCD2.3% of U.S. adults had lifetime OCD, 2001 to 2003 surveyNIMH, OCD statistics (NCS-R 2001 to 2003)
Bipolar disorder2.8% of U.S. adults had past-year bipolar disorder, 2001 to 2003 surveyNIMH, NCS-R data from 2001 to 2003
Schizophrenia27 million people worldwide in WHO’s estimate for 2023, published September 11, 2026WHO schizophrenia fact sheet, updated September 11, 2026
Eating disorders28.8 million Americans alive in 2018 to 2019 projected to have an eating disorder in their lifetimeSTRIPED and Deloitte Access Economics, 2020
Addiction48.4 million U.S. people aged 12 and older had a past-year substance use disorder in 2024SAMHSA, 2024 NSDUH annual national report
Suicide48,824 U.S. suicide deaths in 2024NCHS Data Brief 548, January 2026
Teen mental health39.7% of U.S. high school students reported persistent sadness or hopelessness in 2023Verlenden et al., CDC MMWR, 2024
Postpartum depression13.2% reported postpartum depressive symptoms after a live birth across participating PRAMS sites in 2018CDC MMWR Vital Signs (Bauman et al.)
Men's mental health19.0% of U.S. adult men had past-year any mental illness in 2023SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH detailed tables
Loneliness42% of U.S. adults reported loneliness at least once a week in the April 13 to April 15, 2026 pollAmerican Psychiatric Association: Annual mental health poll, 2026
Burnout44% of surveyed U.S. employees felt burned out from work, 2024 reportSHRM: Employee Mental Health in 2024
Stress24% of U.S. adults rated average stress 8 to 10 out of 10 in 2023APA, Stress in America 2023 press release, November 1, 2023
Social media addiction17.4% pooled social media addiction screening prevalence, 2022 review of studies published before October 31, 2021Meng et al., Clinical Psychology Review, 2022

Mental health by age, sex, race and income

The surveys show differences across age, sex, race and family income, but each comparison needs its own measure. NIMH’s any-mental-illness estimates, NCHS depression screening results and the Trevor Project’s recruited youth survey use different methods. Group averages describe patterns in those data and cannot predict an individual’s experience.

36.2%

U.S. adults aged 18 to 25 had past-year any mental illness in 2022

NIMH reports 36.2% among adults aged 18 to 25, compared with 29.4% among those aged 26 to 49 and 13.9% among those aged 50 and older in 2022. Young adults had the highest estimate among these broad age groups. The comparison describes different people surveyed in the same year. It cannot show how a particular person’s mental health changes with age or determine how much of the difference reflects symptom reporting, life circumstances or other factors.

26.4% vs 19.0%Women compared with men, past-year any mental illness, 2023
SAMHSA’s 2023 detailed tables report 26.4% among adult women and 19.0% among adult men. The same dated estimates appear in the men’s mental health statistics. The survey’s male and female categories limit what this comparison can say about gender identity; group prevalence also differs from treatment receipt and recorded diagnosis.
35.2%Non-Hispanic multiracial adults with past-year any mental illness, 2022
NIMH reports 35.2% among adults identifying with two or more races, compared with 24.6% among non-Hispanic White adults and 16.8% among non-Hispanic Asian adults. These are unadjusted group estimates; they do not isolate the causes of the differences.
22.1% vs 7.4%Depression below the poverty level compared with 400% of poverty and above
Among people aged 12 and older in August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES data, depression screening prevalence was about three times higher in the lowest family-income group. This is a comparison between groups, rather than evidence that changing income caused a particular change in symptoms.
16.0% vs 10.1%Depression among females compared with males, aged 12 and older
In August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES data, depression was defined by the PHQ-9 symptom threshold. The overall difference was 5.9 percentage points. The observed female-male difference among adults aged 20 to 39 was not statistically significant, although the overall difference was.
62% and 47%Surveyed LGBTQ+ young people reporting recent anxiety and depression symptoms
The Trevor Project’s online survey recruited more than 16,000 U.S. LGBTQ+ people aged 13 to 24 from March 4, 2025, to October 15, 2025. Among respondents, 84% wanted care and 44% of those who wanted it could not obtain it. This recruited sample does not establish prevalence for all LGBTQ+ youth.
21%U.S. children aged 3 to 17 ever diagnosed with a mental, emotional or behavioral condition
As of 2021. In 2023 and 2024 survey data, 11% of children had current diagnosed anxiety, 8% had a behavior disorder and 4% had diagnosed depression.

Depression prevalence by age, United States, August 2021 to August 2023

Aged 12 to 1919.2%
Aged 20 to 3916.6%
All aged 12 and older13.1%
Aged 40 to 5910.8%
Aged 60 and older8.7%

Source: CDC, 2025. Measured by screening questionnaire over a two-week window.

Treatment, the care gap and workforce shortages

In 2025, about half of U.S. adults with any mental illness received treatment according to SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release. The earlier 2024 figure below is retained as a dated benchmark. Among adults who received none, some perceived a need and others did not. Reasons for going without care include expectations about managing symptoms independently, anticipated costs and difficulty finding a desired provider.

52.1%

Adults with any mental illness received treatment in 2024

In 2024, 52.1% of adults with any mental illness and 70.8% of those with serious mental illness received mental health treatment. NSDUH counts inpatient or outpatient care, prescription medication, telehealth and treatment received in correctional settings during the past year. The remaining roughly three in ten adults with serious mental illness reported none of these treatment types. That category can still include people who used other support, since the survey separately records peer support, support groups and emergency-room services. SAMHSA’s newer release reports treatment receipt at 50.9% for any mental illness and 67.7% for serious mental illness in 2025. These percentages record service contact rather than whether care was adequate or symptoms improved.

67.7%Adults with a serious mental illness who received treatment in 2025
SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release reports past-year treatment in 67.7% of adults with serious mental illness. The earlier 2024 report gave 70.8%. Receipt of a qualifying service does not establish its duration, adequacy or outcome, and neither percentage measures how many people had all their care needs met.
59.3% vs 45.9%Women compared with men receiving treatment for a mental illness in 2023
SAMHSA’s 2023 detailed tables report mental health treatment among 59.3% of women and 45.9% of men with any mental illness. The corresponding child page uses these same figures and denominator. Receipt depends on both seeking and obtaining care, so the percentages alone cannot explain the reasons for the difference.
21.0%Untreated adults with a mental illness who felt they needed care
Among U.S. adults with any mental illness who received no mental health treatment in 2024, 21.0% said they sought care or thought they should get it. The remaining respondents did not report that perceived need; the survey does not establish that treatment would have been unnecessary.
61.4%Cited anticipated treatment cost among adults with unmet need in 2025
SAMHSA reports that 61.4% of adults with any mental illness who perceived an unmet need for treatment in 2025 thought treatment would cost too much; 72.9% thought they should manage on their own. The earlier reports gave anticipated-cost figures of 65.2% in 2024 and 59.8% in 2023. Respondents could report multiple reasons, and these percentages concern the unmet-need group.
43.2%Could not find a desired provider or program among adults with unmet need in 2025
SAMHSA’s 2025 release analysis reports 43.2% among adults with any mental illness who perceived an unmet need for treatment. The earlier 2024 report gave 45.0%. This question concerns finding a desired professional or program and differs from the question about available appointments; respondents could report multiple barriers.
39.3%People aged 12 and older with depression who received counseling or therapy
From NCHS screening data covering August 2021 to August 2023: 43.0% of females and 33.2% of males with depression had seen a mental health professional for counseling or therapy in the previous 12 months.
50.9%Adults with any mental illness receiving treatment in 2025
SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release reports treatment receipt in 50.9% of adults with any mental illness, compared with the separately dated 52.1% estimate for 2024 above. A past-year service-contact measure cannot establish that support was continuous, effective or sufficient for every person.

Treatment receipt in separate surveys and populations

Serious mental illness, 202567.7%
Women with any mental illness, 202359.3%
Any mental illness, 202550.9%
Men with any mental illness, 202345.9%
Depression, ages 12+, counseling or therapy, 2021 to 202339.3%

Sources: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings, SAMHSA, 2023 NSDUH detailed tables and CDC, 2025. The depression bar uses August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES data and a narrower service measure; it is not directly comparable with the NSDUH bars, which also retain their separate observation years.

Access to care across the states, Mental Health America 2025 rankings

Measure and data yearU.S. figureLowest ratio or percentageHighest ratio or percentage
Untreated adults with any mental illness reporting unmet need, 2022 and 2023 combined MHA 202525.2%Maine, 13.1%Wyoming, 37.8%
Adults with any mental illness who are uninsured, 2022 and 2023 combined MHA 20259.2%Vermont, 3.3%Texas, 19.4%
People per mental health provider, 2024 MHA 2025320 to 1Alaska and Massachusetts, 140 to 1Alabama, 740 to 1
Adults with 14+ mentally unhealthy days in the past month unable to see a doctor because of cost, 2023 MHA 202526.58%Hawaii, 14.62%Texas, 42.72%

How to read the state access measures

MHA’s 2025 edition uses 2024 provider data and combined 2022 and 2023 NSDUH data for its insurance and unmet-need measures. Its glossary specifies that adults who received treatment are excluded from the unmet-need denominator. The 320-to-1 provider ratio uses the whole population and registered providers, some of whom may no longer be practicing or taking new clients. It cannot estimate an individual’s waiting time. The frequent-distress measure uses 2023 BRFSS data and asks about access to any doctor, rather than mental health treatment specifically. Sources: MHA, 2025 access rankings and MHA, measure definitions.

Impact: suicide, work and cost

These measures describe mortality, functioning, work and health expenditure. Each has a different denominator and purpose. Suicide mortality comes from death certificates, service spending counts expenditure, and the global work and disability estimates use modelling. Their totals cannot be added together to produce one measure of mental health’s impact.

48,824

People died by suicide in the United States in 2024

NCHS reports 48,824 suicide deaths in 2024, with an age-adjusted rate of 13.7 per 100,000. The rate declined 2.8% from 2023 in final mortality data. Counts describe lives lost, while age adjustment helps compare rates across populations with different age structures. These statistics do not establish an individual’s risk or identify a single cause for a death. The separate suicide statistics page provides context on mortality trends and prevention; the figures here should be read with that broader context in mind.

12 billionWorking days lost worldwide each year to depression and anxiety
WHO’s fact sheet dated September 15, 2026, presents this as an estimated annual loss associated with depression and anxiety. It is a global modelling figure, rather than a tally of recorded sick days in one country or a count of workers with a diagnosis.
US$1 trillionAnnual global cost in lost productivity
WHO pairs this annual productivity estimate with the 12 billion working days figure in its September 15, 2026, fact sheet. It concerns lost output from depression and anxiety. It should be kept separate from spending on mental health services and from health losses measured in disability-adjusted life years.
16%Working-age adults worldwide estimated to have a mental disorder in 2023
WHO’s September 15, 2026 fact sheet estimates a mental disorder in 16% of working-age adults worldwide in 2023. The earlier fact sheet reported 15% for 2019. Working-age adults include people outside paid employment, so this is broader than a measure of employees with a recorded diagnosis; separately published estimates do not alone establish a trend.
About $280 billionU.S. spending on mental health services in 2020
The White House Council of Economic Advisers reported on May 31, 2022, that about a quarter came from Medicaid. The $280 billion figure concerns spending on services in 2020. Economic losses associated with illness are a separate measure.
87.9%People aged 12 and older with depression reporting difficulty in daily activities
In August 2021 to August 2023 NHANES data, 87.9% of people meeting the PHQ-9 depression threshold reported at least some difficulty with work, home or social activities. This describes self-reported functioning; it does not calculate lost earnings or establish the size of an economic effect.
125.3 millionDisability-adjusted life years lost worldwide to mental disorders in 2019
GBD 2019 attributed 4.9% of global DALYs to mental disorders, ranking the group seventh. DALYs combine disability and premature mortality, but this analysis directly assigned deaths only to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. It therefore does not capture all excess mortality among people with mental disorders.

Reading economic estimates carefully

Service spending, productivity loss and disability-adjusted life years answer different questions. Spending describes money allocated to care. Productivity estimates value lost output. DALYs measure lost healthy life and have no dollar unit. Keeping these categories separate avoids presenting an expenditure total as the full cost of illness or treating a modelled productivity loss as an observed bill. Each estimate also has its own population, reference period and uncertainty. Sources: White House Council of Economic Advisers, May 31, 2022 and WHO, September 15, 2026.

Mental health by state and around the world

WHO’s current fact sheet uses a newer Global Burden of Disease release for its 2023 prevalence estimates. Earlier global estimates remain useful when clearly dated. Treatment coverage comes from separate sources, and MHA’s state measures use several U.S. surveys. Their different populations and definitions need to stay visible when comparing results.

1.2 billion

People worldwide were living with a mental disorder in 2023

WHO’s fact sheet dated September 11, 2026, estimates 1.2 billion people with a mental disorder in 2023, nearly one in seven. Its 2022 World Mental Health Report used 2019 data: about 970 million people, or one in eight. The newer figure uses an updated Global Burden of Disease modelling release and a different reference year. Comparing these published totals does not establish a sudden real-world jump. The fact sheet does not quantify how much of the difference comes from model revisions versus changes in population or health.

970.1 millionGlobal mental-disorder cases estimated by GBD for 2019
The 2022 Lancet Psychiatry analysis estimated 970.1 million cases for 2019. WHO’s 2022 World Mental Health Report presented the rounded 970 million, or one in eight. This is a historical estimate from an earlier modelling release, rather than a second estimate of the 2023 population.
SeventhRank of mental disorders among leading causes of global disease burden
Mental disorders accounted for 4.9% of global disability-adjusted life years in 2019. The study ranked them seventh for DALYs and second worldwide for years lived with disability. Those rankings concern different measures of burden and should not be used interchangeably.
40%Psychosis treatment coverage reported by WHO from Mental Health Atlas 2024
WHO reports 40% receiving formal care, citing Mental Health Atlas 2024. A separate depression review using studies from 2000 to 2019 estimated mental health service use at 33% in high-income locations and 8% in low- and lower-middle-income locations. The one-third figure applies specifically to the high-income group.
25.2%Untreated U.S. adults with any mental illness reporting unmet need
MHA’s 2025 edition uses combined 2022 and 2023 NSDUH data and reports 25.2%, ranging from 13.1% in Maine to 37.8% in Wyoming. Its glossary explicitly excludes adults who received treatment from this measure. The denominator is therefore untreated adults with any mental illness.
9.2%U.S. adults with a mental illness who are uninsured
MHA’s 2025 edition estimates that over 5 million adults with any mental illness were uninsured in combined 2022 and 2023 data. It reports 3.3% in Vermont and 19.4% in Texas. Insurance status is distinct from whether an individual received treatment or could find an available provider.
320 to 1People per mental health provider in the United States
MHA’s 2025 edition uses 2024 workforce data, with Alaska and Massachusetts at 140 to 1 and Alabama at 740 to 1. The count includes several professional groups, such as psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers. Registered providers may include people no longer practicing or accepting new patients.

Mental health conditions worldwide, WHO estimates for 2023

ConditionPeople affectedNotes
Anxiety disorders470 millionIncludes 146 million children and adolescents. WHO, Anxiety disorders · WHO, 2023 data
Depression322 millionIncludes 43 million children and adolescents. WHO, September 11, 2026 · WHO, 2023 data
Conduct-dissocial disorder39 millionChildren and adolescents only WHO, 2023 data
Bipolar disorder36 millionIncludes 3.3 million people aged 10 to 19. WHO bipolar disorder fact sheet, September 11, 2026 · WHO mental disorders fact sheet, 2026
Schizophrenia27 millionThe all-age count differs from WHO’s adult prevalence of about 1 in 206 among people aged 20 and over. WHO schizophrenia fact sheet, updated September 11, 2026
Eating disorders18 millionIncludes 4.7 million children and adolescents WHO, 2023 data

Common questions

How many people have a mental illness in the United States?
SAMHSA estimated any mental illness in 54.6 million U.S. adults, or 20.6%, in 2025; 18.2 million adults, or 6.9%, had serious mental illness. The population covers civilian adults living outside institutions. NIMH’s historical summary reports 59.3 million adults, or 23.1%, for 2022. Different published vintages require their own definitions and should not be subtracted to establish a trend. Sources: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings and NIMH, mental illness statistics.
What share of people with a mental illness actually get treatment?
In 2025, 50.9% of U.S. adults with any mental illness and 67.7% with serious mental illness received mental health treatment. Receipt records service contact and cannot establish adequate care or recovery. Among adults with any mental illness who perceived unmet treatment need, 61.4% anticipated excessive cost and 43.2% could not find a desired provider or program. Those overlapping reasons concern that specific group. Sources: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings and SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH release analysis.
Which mental health conditions are the most common?
There is no directly comparable current U.S. ranking in these sources. SAMHSA estimated a past-year major depressive episode in 19.7 million adults in 2025. NIMH’s historical anxiety estimate was 19.1% in a 2001 to 2003 survey using a broader diagnostic category. Among children aged 3 to 17 in 2023 and 2024 data, CDC reports current diagnosed anxiety in 11%, behavior disorders in 8% and depression in 4%. Those child measures reflect diagnoses reported by caregivers. Sources: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH release analysis, NIMH and CDC.
Is mental illness becoming more common?
The answer depends on the measure and series. Depression screening prevalence rose from 8.2% in 2013 to 2014 to 13.1% in August 2021 to August 2023. SAMHSA’s 2025 analysis describes adult any mental illness as stable and adolescent major depressive episodes as declining across its 2021 to 2025 series. Adolescents had a 15.1% episode estimate in 2025. These findings do not identify causes or track recovery in individuals. Sources: CDC, 2025, SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings and SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH release analysis.
Why is it so hard to find a therapist?
Provider supply and cost can both restrict access. Mental Health America’s 2025 edition reports 320 people per mental health provider using 2024 data, ranging from 140 to 1 in Alaska and Massachusetts to 740 to 1 in Alabama. In 2025, 61.4% of adults with any mental illness who perceived unmet treatment need anticipated excessive cost. Provider registrations do not reveal who accepts new appointments. Sources: MHA, 2025 access rankings and SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings.
Where can someone get help right now?
In the United States, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at any time if you are struggling or worried about someone else. The service offers crisis support around the clock. For ongoing, non-urgent support, you can explore licensed therapists through the Psychology.com directory and check fees, insurance and availability before arranging an appointment. The AI therapy statistics page describes research on those tools. Crisis-support information: CDC.
Can people recover from a mental health condition?
Many adults describe themselves as being in recovery or having recovered. In the 2025 NSDUH, 44.1 million adults reported this status, representing 69.4% of those who perceived that they had ever had a mental health problem. This is a self-reported recovery measure, with a different denominator from past-year any mental illness. It cannot predict an individual’s course or establish that symptoms will never recur. Source: SAMHSA, 2025 NSDUH findings.

How we compiled this

We checked the statistics against primary publications, using archival or repository copies where direct access was blocked. The 18 condition rows were also compared with their independently verified sibling specs. NIMH and SAMHSA supply survey-model estimates of any mental illness; NCHS supplies PHQ-9 screening results from NHANES. WHO and GBD provide modelled global estimates. Data years, populations and service definitions remain attached because these measures are not interchangeable. Unresolved figures and unsupported causal explanations were removed. Source labels identify the originating publication, with official links retained when a copy was needed for verification. This page is scheduled for quarterly review. On September 16, 2026, all 18 final child specs were read and shared figures were reconciled against their stated values, populations, years and source links. Child figures were carried forward from those specs without a separate research pass. The hub’s NIMH, SAMHSA, WHO and Mental Health America pages were fetched with a browser user agent; SAMHSA used archive transport while citations retain publisher URLs. SAMHSA’s July 27, 2026 release and its accompanying analysis supplied the 2025 headline updates after the annual-report landing page failed. NAMI blocked access and supplied no replacement figures. NIMH’s demographic chart remains explicitly dated 2022, and the first four historical figure blocks retain the values summarized by the existing infographic. Newer readings are labeled separately. The figure count includes repeated displays in findings, data rows and tables, rather than claiming that every display is a distinct estimate. Last full review: September 16, 2026.

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Fontane Pennock, S. (2026, September 13). Mental Health Statistics 2026. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/mental-health-statistics/

References

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