Which States Have the Highest Rates of Mental Health Disorders?
According to World Population Review, Virginia has the highest rate of mental health disorders with 5.53% of adults reporting a serious mental illness.
As noted by their findings, the states with the highest rates of serious mental health disorders are:
- Virginia
- Texas
- Alaska
- Tennessee
- Oregon
Data shows that 18.57% of adults (approximately 45 million) in the United States report experiencing a mental illness with 4.38% reporting a “severe mental illness.” Common risk factors for mental health disorders include “social and economic pressures” and “biological factors.”
The most widespread mental health disorder in the country is an anxiety disorder. Despite being treatable, few people ever seek treatment.
Other common mental health disorders include:
- General anxiety disorder
- Panic disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Major depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Seasonal affective disorder
2022 Mental Health Report
Key findings from the 2022 Mental Health Report issued by Mental Health America indicate that nearly 5% of adults in the United States report having suicidal thoughts. Over 15% of youth experienced a “major depressive episode” in the past year. Nearly 25% of adults with a diagnosable mental health illness “report an unmet need for treatment.”
Over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive treatment. This means that 1 in 3 youths in America is going without mental health treatment despite having a diagnosable condition. Over half of the adults (in excess of 27 million) with a mental health disorder never receive treatment.
Over 10% of individuals in the United States with a mental illness are uninsured. Rates of substance use disorder are increasing and were exacerbated during the pandemic.