More Than 50M Americans Experienced Mental Illness at Onset of Pandemic

December 7, 2022 by Dan McCue
More Than 50M Americans Experienced Mental Illness at Onset of Pandemic
(Mental Health American photo)

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – In 2019 and on into 2020, essentially the period covering the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, about 21% of adults in the U.S. experienced some form of mental illness, according to the nonprofit Mental Health America.

That is the equivalent of over 50 million Americans.

The century-plus old organization is dedicated to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness and advocates for prevention and intervention services for all.

Its latest, “The State Of Mental Health In America” report, disclosed the following findings from its research:

The vast majority of individuals with a substance use disorder in the U.S. are not receiving treatment and 15.35% of adults had a substance use disorder in the past year. Of them, 93.5% did not receive any form of treatment.

Millions of adults in the U.S. experience serious thoughts of suicide, with the highest rate among multiracial individuals.

The percentage of adults reporting serious thoughts of suicide is 4.84%, totaling over 12.1 million individuals. Eleven percent of adults who identified with two or more races reported serious thoughts of suicide in 2020 — 6% higher than the average among all adults.

Over one in 10 youth in the U.S. are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life and 16.39% of youth aged 12-17 report suffering from at least one major depressive episode in the past year. Moreover, 11.5% of youth (over 2.7 million youth) are experiencing severe major depression.

Over half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 28 million individuals.

Almost a third (28.2%) of all adults with a mental illness reported that they were not able to receive the treatment they needed. Forty-two percent of adults with AMI reported they were unable to receive necessary care because they could not afford it.

About 10.8% (over 5.5 million) of adults with a mental illness are uninsured. Hispanic adults with AMI were least likely to have health insurance, with 19% reporting they were not covered by insurance.

Just above 6% of youth in the U.S. reported a substance use disorder in the past year. That is equivalent to over 1.5 million youth in the U.S. who meet the criteria for an illicit drug or alcohol use disorder.

And 22.87% of adults who report experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days each month were not able to see a doctor due to costs.

Roughly 59.8% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.

Asian youth with major depression were least likely to receive specialty mental health care, with 78% reporting they did not receive mental health services in the past year. In South Carolina, the lowest ranking state, nearly eight in 10 youth with depression do not receive care.

Nationally, only 28% of youth with severe depression receive some consistent treatment (7-25+ visits in a year). Most (57.3%) youth with severe depression do not receive any care.

Nationally, one in 10 youth who are covered under private insurance do not have coverage for mental or emotional difficulties — totaling over 1.2 million youth. In Arkansas (ranked 51), nearly one-quarter of youth with private insurance do not have coverage for mental health care.

The organization also noted that in the U.S., there are an estimated 350 individuals for every one mental health provider. 

“However,” the report said, “these figures may actually be an overestimate of active mental health professionals, as it may include providers who are no longer practicing or accepting new patients.”

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and at https://twitter.com/DanMcCue

A+
a-
  • Mental Health America
  • mental illness
  • State of Mental Health in America
  • In The News

    Health

    Voting

    Mental Health

    April 28, 2025
    by Jesse Zucker
    How Coloring May Improve Your Mental Health

    WASHINGTON — Remember a few years ago when adult coloring books were everywhere? They promised to help reduce stress and... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Remember a few years ago when adult coloring books were everywhere? They promised to help reduce stress and improve mental health. Now that we're well into the trend, the research has caught up on how coloring may help color your view of the world. ... Read More

    Bluebells and Other Spring Flowers Can Be Nature's Antidote to Stressful Times

    HALLE, Belgium (AP) — Gilles Gui was looking for the magical purple bluebells that raise their heads each spring under... Read More

    HALLE, Belgium (AP) — Gilles Gui was looking for the magical purple bluebells that raise their heads each spring under the budding beech leaves of the Hallerbos forest, an annual explosion of color that draws crowds from around the world. And in these times full of stress... Read More

    April 14, 2025
    by Jesse Zucker
    Study Finds Eating Oranges May Reduce Depression Risk

    WASHINGTON — What we eat affects how we feel, not only physically, but mentally. While some comforting food can make... Read More

    WASHINGTON — What we eat affects how we feel, not only physically, but mentally. While some comforting food can make you feel good in the short term, consuming a healthy diet influences mental health in the long term. A new study finds an interesting link between... Read More

    April 7, 2025
    by Jesse Zucker
    Review Finds All Exercise Boosts Cognitive Health

    WASHINGTON — Now is the time of year when the messaging around building your summer body increases. However, it is... Read More

    WASHINGTON — Now is the time of year when the messaging around building your summer body increases. However, it is always a good time to start exercising, for reasons beyond just your appearance. Cognitive health is an often overlooked benefit of regular exercise; a new review... Read More

    April 7, 2025
    by Jesse Zucker
    Birdwatching and Birding Increase Well-Being

    WASHINGTON — A flash of red, a flutter of wings, a mother feeding her baby, the sound of chirping, the... Read More

    WASHINGTON — A flash of red, a flutter of wings, a mother feeding her baby, the sound of chirping, the feeling of air on your skin and a sense of calm as you notice each detail. You will experience all this in a few seconds of... Read More

    March 24, 2025
    by Jesse Zucker
    Hug a Tree. It’s Good for Both of You!

    WASHINGTON — As we humans move through our lives, we have family, friends and pets to accompany us. Feeling connected... Read More

    WASHINGTON — As we humans move through our lives, we have family, friends and pets to accompany us. Feeling connected to others is vital for mental and physical health. One overlooked companion? Trees. It may sound odd, but think about your relationship with trees throughout your... Read More

    News From The Well
    scroll top