What is the Prevalence of MHSUD Conditions?

Across the globe, millions of people are affected by MHSUD conditions. In the United States (U.S.), approximately one third (32.8 percent) of adults suffer from any diagnosable MHSUD condition (84.5 million). One in twenty American adults (5.7 percent) experience serious mental illness (heightened conditions that result in serious functional impairment and substantially interfere with daily activities). MHSUD conditions also impact the lives of the 8.4 million people in the U.S. who provide care to those experiencing these conditions.

The number of adults with a mental illness has increased by 30 percent between 2008-2019. Survey data from the early 2020s also indicates that COVID-19 pandemic resulted in substantial increases in the percentage of the U.S. adult population experiencing these conditions. Over 71 percent of primary care physicians (PCPs) reported increases in the amount of mental health-related treatment and support that they have to provide during the pandemic period.

Such high prevalence of MHSUD conditions has led the White House to state that “our country is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis impacting people of all ages,” a sentiment shared by notable MHSUD advocates and organizations. The rise of synthetic opioids and drug overdoses has also led to an opioid crisis, which President Trump declared a public health emergency in 2017. A 2022 survey revealed that 9 in 10 U.S. adults think that the country is experiencing a mental health crisis.

Prevalence by Condition

Of individuals with MHSUD conditions, prevalence varies by condition type and diagnosis. Anxiety disorders are the most common, affecting 19 percent of U.S. adults in a year. Depression is the second most common, with 8 percent of adults reporting a major depressive episode in the past year. These conditions are commonly co-occurring, either with each other or with a substance use disorder (SUD). One third of adults (33.5 percent) with a MH condition also have a co-occuring SUD.

Prevalence by Socio-Demographic Characteristics

Prevalence of MHSUD conditions also vary by race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, and other socio-demographic characteristics. For example, for adults with any mental illness, mixed race or multiracial adults had a prevalence rate of 36.7 percent in 2023, compared to 18.1 percent for Asian adults. Rates of both MH conditions and SUDs are higher among members of the LGBTIA+ community.

Prevalence of Any Mental Illness in the Past Year, U.S. adults, 2023

Notes: People of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity can be of any race, but are included only in the Hispanic category, not any of the racial categories. AI/AN is American Indian or Alaska Native; Black is Black or African American; Hispanic is Hispanic or Latino.
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2024). 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Detailed Tables. Retrieved September 30, 2024.

Prevalence of Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year, U.S. individuals age 12 and older, 2023

Prevalence by Geography

Prevalence also varies by geographic region, with some states and counties facing much higher rates of MHSUD than others. For example, in 2022, Utah had the greatest prevalence of MHSUD conditions, with nearly 27 percent of the adult population having a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder. Conversely, New Jersey was the state with the lowest prevalence of mental health diagnoses (16 percent).