Millions of people in the U.S. are affected by mental illness each year. 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.

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year

• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year

• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year

• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24

• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14

Millions of people are affected by mental illness each year. Across the country, many people just like you work, perform, create, compete, laugh, love and inspire every day.

• 22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2021 (57.8 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.

• 5.5% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2021 (14.1 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.

• 16.5% of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experienced a mental health disorder in 2016 (7.7 million people)

• 7.6% of U.S. adults experienced a co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness in 2021 (19.4 million people)

Annual prevalence of mental illness among U.S. adults, by demographic group:

• Non-Hispanic Asian: 16.4%

• Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: 18.1%

• Non-Hispanic Black or African American: 21.4%

• Hispanic or Latino: 20.7%

• Non-Hispanic White: 23.9%

• Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native: 26.6%

• Non-Hispanic mixed/multiracial: 34.9%

• Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual: 50.2%

Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:

• Schizophrenia: <1%

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: 1.2%

• Borderline Personality Disorder: 1.4%

• Bipolar Disorder: 2.8%

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: 3.6%

• Major Depressive Episode: 8.3%

• Anxiety Disorders: 19.1%

PERSON

• 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.

• 33.5% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2021 (19.4 million individuals)

• The rate of unemployment is higher among U.S. adults who have mental illness (7.4%) compared to those who do not (4.6%)

• High school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than twice as likely to drop out compared to their peers

• Students aged 6-17 with mental, emotional or behavioral concerns are 3x more likely to repeat a grade.

FAMILY

• At least 8.4 million people in the U.S. provide care to an adult with a mental or emotional health issue

• Caregivers of adults with mental or emotional health issues spend an average of 32 hours per week providing unpaid care

COMMUNITY

• 21.1% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition

• Among people in the U.S. under age 18, depressive disorders are the most common cause of hospitalization (after excluding hospitalization relating to pregnancy and birth)

• Among people in the U.S. aged 18-44, psychosis spectrum and mood disorders account for nearly 600,000 hospitalizations each year

• 19.7% of U.S. Veterans experienced a mental illness in 2020 (3.9 million people)

• 9.6% of Active Component service members in the U.S. military experienced a mental health or substance use condition in 2021

• Across the U.S. economy, serious mental illness causes $193.2 billion in lost earnings each year

WORLD

• Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity each year

• Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide