May is Mental Health Awareness Month. But what, exactly, do we need to be aware of?
Below are some must-know statistics about mental illnesses in the United Stares. Understanding them is vital because each represents real people and issues that are far more than numbers on a page or a screen. And they don’t only affect those who’ve been diagnosed with mental health conditions: They impact friends and family members as the ripple effects of these illnesses touch us all.
- More than one in five adults experiences mental illness over the course of a year. In 2024, this included 61.5 million people, making it significantly more prominent than cancer or diabetes.
- Approximately one in 20 adults experiences a serious mental illness: one that dramatically alters their lives, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and major depression. In 2024, this group included 14.6 million people.
- Mental illnesses impact far more than the brain. Individuals living with mental health conditions face up to twice the risk of cardiometabolic disease compared with the general population. In addition, stigma and the challenges of dealing with a mental illness prevent many from seeking medical care of any kind, increasing the impact of any health issues they face.
- Those living with mental illnesses are nearly three times as likely to suffer from a substance use disorder: 34.5% compared to 12.5%. These compounding challenges are known as dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders. Among those who live with serious mental illnesses, this number jumps even higher: 47.1% also deal with substance use disorders.
- The average delay between the onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years. This long period of waiting can be due to stigma, lack of awareness of treatment options and lack of access to care. Often, delays lead to increased severity of symptoms and a greater risk of co-occurring disorders.
- In 2024, 18.1% of people in the United States experiencing homelessness also lived with a serious mental illness. Each of these challenges multiplies the impact of the other, often creating a cycle that makes it difficult to pursue stability.
- Many who want to receive treatment aren’t able to. In 2023, more than a quarter of American adults nationwide who reported experiencing 14 or more mentally unhealthy days per month were not able to see a doctor due to costs. In Texas, this percentage jumps to over four in 10 people with frequent mental distress who couldn’t afford to get care.
- Texas ranks 50th among states in access to mental health care. This reflects both a lack of access to qualified providers and a low rate of insurance that covers treatment for mental illnesses.
Given that one in five adults deals with mental illness each year, very few of us remain untouched. That’s why knowing the facts about these conditions and their impact is important not only for those who live with them, but for all of us. The more each of us understands, the more we can come alongside those who are struggling with awareness, support and compassion.
Explore our blogs to learn more about the impact of mental illnesses and read stories of those who live with these challenges.
Statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America.