Growing Mental Health Crisis in the United States

Mental disorders are a complex set of conditions that affect an individual's cognitive processes, emotional regulation, or behavioral control. They often lead to significant difficulties that affect various aspects of life. Each year, the number of American adults experiencing some form of mental illness continues to rise. In 2020, over 50 million citizens, which amounts to 20 percent of the entire population, were diagnosed with one of these conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has added more pressure to this already growing problem. This crisis has resulted in new sources of stress such as illness, unemployment, isolation, rising medical costs, and economic instability, putting even more people at risk of mental health problems.

Mental disorders come in many forms, but seven types are the most common in the United States including anxiety, which affects 31.6% of people, addiction (7.7%), depression (8.4%), PTSD (5.4%), bipolar disorder (1.8%), schizophrenia (1%), and suicidal ideation (4.58%).

Research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness reveals that mental health issues are quite common among young people in America. Shockingly, 1 in 6 American teenagers between the ages of 6 and 17 struggle with a mental illness each year. This statistic is significant since 50% of lifetime mental illnesses actually begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24. The number of young Americans suffering from addiction or substance use disorders stands at 1 million, and this amounts to 4.08% of the population. Furthermore, more than 2.5 million young people in the United States grapple with major depression, which severely affects their functioning. Astonishingly, multiracial youth appear to be the most vulnerable since the prevalence of major depressive disorder(MDD) was found to be highest among them, at a staggering 14.5%.

In the United States, more than half of adults with mental illness, over 27 million people, are not receiving any treatment. Even in Vermont, a state with a strong mental health system, 43% of adults struggle without treatment. In Hawaii, a whopping 67% of adults with mental illness receive no treatment at all, which is a cause for concern.

Both adults and young adults in the United States still have inadequate insurance coverage for mental health issues. Studies show that around 11.1% of Americans with mental illness are uninsured, indicating a rise in the standard since the passing of the Affordable Care Act for two consecutive years. Additionally, 8.1% of children have private insurance; however, it does not cover mental health services, leading to worries for around 950,000 young people.

Since a large percentage of people in the United States struggle with mental health daily, they suffer the full impact of the disease on themselves, their families, and their communities. Unfortunately, most of these Americans lack treatment, which is another worrying trend.

Current trends are particularly concerning among minority, low-income, and young populations. These groups are more likely to report symptoms of mental illness, are more prone to substance abuse, and report suicidal tendencies. Furthermore, they have an increased risk of incarceration, indicating the seriousness of such trends. 

Reference

1. National Alliance on Mental Illness, "Mental Health By the Numbers".