Basic Facts About Mental Health

• About one in five adults (ages 18 and older) has a diagnosable mental disorder. (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes, or heart disease. (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report)
• Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, income, race, religion, or culture. Mental illnesses affect both males and females. (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
• Mental illnesses often appear for the first time during adolescence and young adulthood. While they can occur at any age, the young and the old are especially vulnerable. (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
• Four of the 10 leading causes of disability (lost years of productive life) in the United States and other developed countries are mental disorders, which include major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many persons suffer from more than one mental disorder at any given time. (National Institute of Mental Health)
• With proper care and treatment, between 70 and 90 percent of persons with mental illnesses experience a significant reduction of symptoms and an improved quality of life. (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill)
• More than two-thirds of Americans who have a mental illness live in the community and lead productive lives. (National Mental Health Association)

 Children and Mental Health Fast Facts

• One in five children and adolescents in the United States has a mental disorder that interferes with daily functioning. Yet, fewer than one in five of these children receive the mental health services they need. (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report)
• Anxiety disorders, mood disorders (such as depression), and disruptive disorders (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) are the most common mental disorders among children. Of these, anxiety disorders are the most common, affecting about 13 percent of children age 9 to 17. (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report)
• When left untreated, childhood mental disorders can lead to school failure, family conflicts, substance abuse, violence, and even suicide. (SAMHSA/CMHS)
• Untreated mental disorders also may increase a child’s risk of coming into contact with the juvenile justice system; studies show that 66 percent of boys and almost 75 percent of girls in juvenile detention have at least one mental disorder. (President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health Final Report)
• Substance abuse is also linked to untreated mental disorders; 43 percent of children who use mental health services also have a substance abuse disorder. (SAMHSA)
• Children with mental disorders, particularly depression, are at a higher risk for suicide. An estimated 90 percent of children who commit suicide have a mental disorder. (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report)
• Doctors’ offices and schools are important settings for recognizing and addressing children’s mental health problems. (U.S. Surgeon General’s Report)
• About 60 percent of the Nation’s 1,500 school-based health centers have mental health professionals on staff. Nearly 80 percent of these centers provide crisis intervention services, with support from primary care providers. (National Assembly on School-Based Health Care Census)