2020: The State of Mental Health in the United States

The year 2020 has led the United States to a mental health precipice. The country is more divided than ever as Americans face historic racial and civic unrest along with the global coronavirus pandemic. As vulnerable populations face even more economic and societal injustices brought about by the COVID-19 lockdowns, feelings of fear, anxiety, and stress add to the country's mental health crisis.

In 2017, 1 in 5 Americans were already living with a mental illness. It's projected that job loss and social isolation will only make this number worse. How are we expected to survive the onslaught of bad news and natural disasters when there is a lack of equity in our system, and more so on the individual level, an unwillingness to deal with our own mental well-being?

Mental Health Stats

• Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with any mental illness (46.6 million in 2017 aged 18 or older. 18.9% of all U.S. adults.

• The prevalence of any mental illness was higher among women (22.3%) than men (15.1%).

• The prevalence of any mental illness was highest among adults reporting two or more races (28.6%), followed by White adults (20.4%).  The prevalence of any mental illness was lowest among Asian adults (14.5%).

• Young adults aged 18-25 years had the highest prevalence of AMI (25.8%) compared to adults aged 26-49 years (22.2%) and aged 50 and older (13.8%).

--- About American Wellness ---

Produced by WeXL Org, American Wellness dives headfirst into the uncomfortable conversations surrounding mental illness and why Americans feel the way they do. We examine our past, present, and future to find the solutions that could unite and heal us. Together we heal.