Mental illness is more common in the United States than diabetes, cancer or heart disease.
- Some form of mental illness affected nearly 44 million people in 2014. For about 10 million of those people, the illness proved serious and disabling.
- About 63 percent of people with a serious mental illness get treatment. People over 50 are most likely to seek help; 71 percent get treatment. Young adults age 18 to 25 are least likely; only 40 percent receive treatment for their illness.
- Mental illness affects all aspects of society. The United States loses an estimated $193 billion a year in earnings due to mental illness-related disability, sick leave and unemployment.
- Depression and anxiety are the most common mental illnesses. An estimated 6.6 percent of Americans experienced major depression in 2014. About 4 percent suffered severe anxiety.
- Although more Americans are diagnosed with a mental illness than in the past, most experts believe that the real rates are not increasing. Better diagnosis and treatments probably account for the perceived increase.
