Mental health statistics may not always be at the top of your mind, even when you’re going through a crisis of your own. Some of us get headaches when we even think about math – especially statistics. Yet, hard data based on empirical research helps us better understand the world around us and the people in it. When it comes to mental health, so many of us feel isolated and utterly alone in our struggles. Looking at mental health statistics can put our challenges into context, help us understand the pervasiveness of certain conditions, and offer some bit comfort and solace knowing we’re not alone.

And when you look at the stats about treatment for mental health — such as the fact thatmental illness affects tens of millions Americans each year, but only about half of people receive treatment— you can see how these surprising mental health statistics necessitate additional education, awareness, and funding for mental health services.

Ready to take a deeper look at some of the most relevant mental health stats?

Statistics On Frequency and Prevalence of Mental Illness

Mental illness is much more common than people realize.For example,44.7 million American struggled with mental illness in 2016. Mental illness can vary from mild to moderate to severe. This is partly why we may be unaware that those around us are battling a mental illness — it can be easy to miss. But it’s all the more reason to learn how pervasive mental health disorders are, and that there is no shame in talking about them or seeking help.

Common Mental Health Conditions: By The Statistics

Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions out there about particular mental health conditions — for example, that people who are anxious appear “nervous” all the time, or that PTSD is a rare condition only affecting people who have witnessed war or terrorism. It’s important to understand what different mental health disorders look like, how widespread they are, and what harm occurs if mental health conditions are not properly treated.

Depression

Anxiety

Bipolar Disorder

Insomnia

PTSD

Therapy-Based Statistics

Therapy can be a game-changer for anyone battling a mental illness, whether mild or severe. Everyone needs a mental health professional to talk to at one time or another. And research has shown that therapyworks, and its positive effects can endure for years. Still the stigma remains when it comes to entering therapy, and many people simply don’t go, even when it is desperately needed.

Consequences of Neglecting Treatment

The lack of treatment for mental health disorders might be one of the most significant crises of our time. Or, to put it another way, if we were to treat themental health issues that affect millions of Americans, we would expect to see a decrease in physical ailments, an increase in longevity, and, perhaps surprisingly, a stronger economy. The problem is that many of us don’t understand the consequences of not treating mental illness.

Stats like these are striking, thought-provoking, and highlight the urgency in our country to makemental healtha top priority. It’s not something that can be ignored any longer. And for those of us struggling with mental illness, knowledge is power. Understanding that our challenges are real, nothing to be ashamed of — and that effective treatments toward wellness are available — is the first step toward healing.

For more mental health and online therapy statistics, visit ourTalkspace research page.

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

Articles contain trusted third-party sources that are either directly linked to in the text or listed at the bottom to take readers directly to the source.

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