May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This may come as a surprise, but the first time it was observed was in 1949. This is not a new tradition, but it is one that seems to be gathering steam as more people are becoming aware of the extreme challenges mental illness poses on everyone. Despite this progress, there is still much work to be done. The more people know about mental illness, the better for a plethora of reasons.
SoCal Empowered of Idaho is a team of mental health professionals trying to do our part in bringing heightened awareness to the public health issues that is mental illness. As we begin Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re going to present a series of statistics that will hopefully help provide some added perspective on just how pervasive this problem is in the United States.
1. Over 50 Million People
According to the 2023 State of Mental Health in America Report, published by the nonprofit MHA, or Mental Health America, approximately 21 percent of American adults are suffering from a mental illness right now. That equates to over 50 million people. If 50 million people lived in one state, it would be the largest population in the entire country by more than 10 million people. One in five adults are suffering from a mental illness at any given time.
2. 12.1 Million People
According to the same report, nearly five percent of American adults, or 12.1 million people overall, reported having serious thoughts of suicide. Using the same statistical comparison as above, if you put everyone who’s had serious suicidal thoughts into one city, it would be the largest city in the United States by nearly 4 million people. In addition, only six states have larger populations than 12.1 million.
3. 49 Million People
According to NAMI, or the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 19.1 percent of American adults experience some type of anxiety disorder during a given year. Once again, that’s nearly 50 million people – 49.2 million to be exact – who are struggling with anxiety so severe that it makes living an ordinary, everyday life either extremely difficult or impossible. You most likely know at least one person who is struggling with anxiety.
4. 21 Million People
The data in the same NAMI report states that 8.3 percent of the American adult population suffers through a major depressive disorder during any given year. That equates to 21.4 million people who are dealing with depression so severe that it can be debilitating. Only California, Texas and Florida have larger populations in the entire country.
5. 4.25 Million People
The NAMI report reveals that nearly 35 percent of American adults who suffered from what is termed a “serious” mental illness in 2021 did not receive treatment. Given that more than 12 million people fell into this serious mental illness realm, that means that 4.25 million people were suffering immensely without getting the help they needed.
6. 26.5 Million People
Expanding further outward, the report shows that in addition to the people suffering from serious mental illness who did not receive treatment, 53 percent of American adults who experienced a mental illness of any severity did not receive treatment. That’s 26.5 million people who were left without professional resources to try to figure out how to continue living their lives.
7. 11 Years
Think about where you were 11 years ago – 2013 – and compare it to now. Think about how much has happened in your life since then. If you’re like most people, you’ve likely lost loved ones, changed jobs, perhaps moved, obviously gotten older… Your life is quite different now than it was then. Now consider the fact that the average amount of time between the onset of a mental illness and receiving treatment for it in the United States is 11 years. Think about what would happen if you let any “physical” disease such as pneumonia or arthritis fester for more than a decade before getting help.
8. 160 Million People
One of the reasons that so many people go for so long without getting the help they need for mental illness is not because they lack mental health awareness. The problem is that they live in an area with a dearth of mental health professionals. KFF, a nonprofit policy organization, published a list of what are known as HPSAs, or Health Professional Shortage Areas. A subset of this is a table for mental health that states that nationally, 160 million people live in places where there is a shortage of professional resources. In Idaho, only 26.4 percent of mental health needs are currently being met.
9. 8.4 Million People
Given the lack of mental health resources around the United States, far too many people who are not ill are being forced into living an existence filled with daily mental health awareness. That’s because 8.4 million people are providing care to an adult with a mental or emotional issue. These unpaid loved ones spend an average of 32 hours per week doing so, as for them it seems that there really is no other choice.
10. 3.9 Million People
Finally, we need to discuss our military veterans when we commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month. Nearly 4 million veterans or nearly 20 percent of the overall number of veterans, suffered from some sort of mental illness in 2020. That’s a very troubling number, and also speaks to a lack of resources in many cases.
Mental Health Awareness Month: How We Can Help
As you can see, while there may be a shortage of localized mental health treatment, there is certainly no shortage of mental health problems in the United States adult population. Instead, these are pandemic level numbers. As mentioned above, everyone knows someone who is suffering in this regard, whether we are aware of it or not, as far too many people suffer silently.
If you or a loved one is struggling, now is the time to do something about it. While mental health awareness is always beneficial, mental health action is a much more effective way to combat this wide-ranging problem. Contact our team of mental health professionals today to discuss your situation. We will help you find the resource you need to start the fight to regain the health and happiness you deserve.
