Statistics & Data

Understanding the scope of behavioral health — grounded in the most current evidence available.

Data has the power to reduce stigma, validate experience, and drive change. The statistics on this page are drawn from the most trusted and current sources in behavioral health research — including the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counseling Association.

These numbers represent real people — individuals, families, and communities navigating some of life’s most challenging experiences. We share them not to overwhelm, but to inform, to validate, and to remind every visitor that whatever they are facing, they are far from alone.

Statistics are updated regularly to reflect the most current available data. Sources are cited throughout and listed in full at the bottom of this page.

Mental Health Mental health touches every life — directly or indirectly. Yet despite its prevalence, mental illness remains one of the most stigmatized and undertreated conditions in the world. The statistics below reflect the true scope of mental health challenges in the United States and globally — and the urgent need for accessible, compassionate, and evidence-based care. 

•  23.4% of U.S. adults — more than 60 million people — experienced a mental illness in the past year.  [SAMHSA, 2025]

•  5.6% of U.S. adults experienced a serious mental illness in 2024 — representing 14.6 million people, or 1 in 20 adults.  [NAMI, 2025]

•  32.2% of U.S. young adults ages 18–25 experienced mental illness in 2024 — the highest rate of any age group.  [NAMI, 2025]

•  50% of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14 and 75% begin by age 24.  [NAMI, 2025]

•  15.4% of youth ages 12–17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2024 — down from 20.8% in 2021, the first significant improvement in over a decade.  [SAMHSA / Mental Health America, 2025]

•  Only 43% of U.S. adults with a mental illness received any mental health treatment in the past year.  [The Zebra, 2025]

•  Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the U.S., affecting approximately 40 million adults annually.  [NIMH, 2024]

•  The suicide rate is nearly four times higher among males than females in the U.S. — yet women are three times more likely to attempt suicide.  [NAMI, 2025]

•  65% of LGBTQ+ high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023.  [CDC / NAMI, 2025]

•  58% of White adults with mental health conditions receive services, compared to 39% of Black adults and 33% of Asian adults — reflecting significant racial disparities in access to care.  [Innerwell, 2026]

Substance Use & Addiction Addiction is a complex, chronic medical condition — not a moral failing, a choice, or a reflection of character. It affects individuals of every age, background, profession, and walk of life. The statistics below illuminate the scale of substance use disorders in America and around the world — and the profound treatment gap that leaves millions without the care they need.

•  48.5 million people aged 12 or older — about 17.1% of the U.S. population — experienced a substance use disorder in the past year.  [SAMHSA, 2024]

•  28.9 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder — yet only 7.9% received any form of treatment.  [SAMHSA / Haven Detox, 2025]

•  In the U.S., only 1 in 4 people who needed substance use treatment in the past year actually received it.  [TherapyRoute, 2025]

•  75.5% of individuals who did not seek treatment reported believing they should have been able to handle their substance use on their own — reflecting the profound impact of stigma.  [Valley Spring Recovery, 2025]

•  21.2 million adults in the U.S. suffer from both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder simultaneously.  [American Addiction Centers, 2025]

•  Approximately 50% of teenagers have misused an illicit drug at least once, and 70% of individuals who try illegal drugs before age 13 develop addiction within seven years.  [Magnetaba, 2025]

•  The global prevalence of drug use disorders reached more than 53 million in 2021 — a 35% increase since 1990.  [NIH / PubMed Central, 2025]

•  Gambling disorder affects 1.2% of adults worldwide. Approximately 60 million people meet criteria for internet gaming disorder. Around 210 million individuals exhibit compulsive social media use.  [Valley Spring Recovery, 2025]

•  Approximately 70% of Americans experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime — yet only about 5.6% develop PTSD.  [WHO, 2024 / NIMH]

•  An estimated 3.6% of U.S. adults had PTSD in the past year, and approximately 6.8% have experienced it at some point in their lifetime.  [NIMH]

•  Women are approximately twice as likely as men to develop PTSD — with a lifetime prevalence of 8% for women compared to 4% for men.  [NIMH / APA, 2024]

•  More than two thirds of children report experiencing at least one traumatic event by the age of 16.  [SAMHSA, 2024]

•  About 64% of U.S. adults reported experiencing at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) before age 18, and nearly 17.3% reported four or more ACEs.  [CDC, 2024]

•  Of U.S. adults with past-year PTSD, over one-third (36.6%) experienced severe impairment that significantly interfered with work, home, and social life.  [NIMH]

•  PTSD frequently co-occurs with depression, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders, and is linked to an increased risk of suicidal ideation.  [TherapyRoute, 2025]

•  About 7% of U.S. veterans will experience PTSD at some point — with female veterans experiencing a lifetime prevalence of 13% compared to 6% for male veterans.  [National Center for PTSD, 2024]

•  Sexual trauma presents the most significant risk of PTSD of any trauma type.  [European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2024]

•  Approximately 1 in 6 children in the U.S. (16.65%) has a developmental disability, including ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability.  [Scientific Reports / NHIS, 2023]

•  1 in 36 children in the U.S. has been identified with autism spectrum disorder — a significant increase from 1 in 44 reported in 2018.  [CDC ADDM Network, 2025]

•  Boys are more than three times more likely than girls to receive an autism diagnosis, and more than twice as likely to receive any developmental disability diagnosis.  [CDC / NCHS, 2023]

•  Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have a significantly higher prevalence of diagnosed anxiety and depression than adults without functional limitations.  [NCBI / JAMA, 2024]

•  Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities face substantially greater cost-related barriers to counseling and therapy than the general population.  [NCBI / JAMA, 2024]

•  Approximately 26% of adults in the U.S. — 1 in 4 — have some type of disability, with significant overlap between disability and mental health conditions.  [CDC, 2024]

•  ADHD affects approximately 9.57% of children ages 3–17 in the U.S. and is among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in childhood.  [NHIS / Scientific Reports, 2023]

•  People with disabilities are significantly more likely to experience poverty, unemployment, social isolation, and limited access to quality healthcare — each of which compounds the risk of mental health challenges.  [CDC, 2024]

•  66% of U.S. employees report experiencing some form of burnout in 2025 — with 19% citing excessive workload and 13% reporting anxiety about AI’s impact on their roles.  [EAP Expert, 2026]

•  79% of all EAP referrals in 2024 were for mental health counseling — up from 71% in 2023 — with emotional concerns more than doubling as a primary referral reason.  [EAP Expert, 2026]

•  Traditional EAPs typically see only 2–5% utilization — meaning the vast majority of employees are not accessing available support.  [Spring Health, 2025]

•  Around 1 in 4 employees and 22% of managers do not know whether their workplace offers EAP benefits.  [EAP Expert, 2026]

•  77% of employers report increased mental health concerns among their workforce.  [EAP Expert, 2026]

•  65% of employees say they feel as stressed or more stressed than they were five years ago.  [Forrester / Spring Health, 2025]

•  For every dollar invested in an EAP, employers generally save between $5 and $16 — with studies demonstrating a positive ROI ranging from $1.49 to $13 per dollar spent.  [U.S. Department of Labor]

•  Untreated mental health conditions cost U.S. employers an estimated $477.5 billion in 2024, with projections suggesting that figure could exceed $1.3 trillion by 2040.  [CHESS Health, 2025]

•  The United States incarcerates nearly 2 million people — approximately 1 in every 200 Americans.  [NCBI, 2025]

•  People who are incarcerated experience significantly higher rates of mental illness than the general population, including depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.  [The Lancet Public Health, 2025]

•  Individuals with mental illnesses are statistically more likely to be victims of violent crimes than perpetrators — a critical but frequently misunderstood fact.  [StatPearls / NCBI, 2025]

•  Individuals with mental health conditions in the criminal justice system often face disproportionate penalties and extended incarcerations compared to those without mental health diagnoses.  [StatPearls / NCBI, 2025]

•  The number of psychiatric beds for people with serious mental illness has reached a historic low of 10.8 beds per 100,000 people in 2023 — with 52% occupied by people committed through the criminal justice system.  [Prison Policy Initiative, 2024]

•  Veterans involved in the justice system are disproportionately likely to have experienced combat trauma, racial or ethnic minority status, lower income, and lower educational attainment.  [NCBI, 2025]

•  In New Orleans, a Mobile Crisis Intervention Unit responded to nearly 30% of all behavioral health-related 911 calls in its first year — demonstrating the potential of community-based diversion.  [Vera Institute of Justice, 2025]

•  Access to mental health treatment within correctional facilities varies dramatically — with significant disparities in the availability of residential treatment units and qualified mental health staff.  [Delaware Community Legal Aid Society, 2024]

These statistics represent the scale and complexity of behavioral health challenges in our communities. They are not simply numbers — they are the lived experiences of individuals, families, and communities who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based, and high-quality care.

If you or someone you love is reflected in any of the data above — Scholar is here. Our clinicians are ready to walk alongside you with the expertise, compassion, and discretion you deserve.

[1] SAMHSA. (2025). 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).  https://www.samhsa.gov/data/release/2024-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-nsduh-releases

[2] NAMI. (2025). Mental Health By the Numbers.  https://www.nami.org/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

[3] Mental Health America. (2026). The State of Mental Health in America 2025.  https://mhanational.org/the-state-of-mental-health-in-america/

[4] NIMH. (2024). Mental Illness Statistics.  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness

[5] NIMH. (2023). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Statistics.  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd

[6] WHO. (2024). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/post-traumatic-stress-disorder

[7] CDC. (2024). About Adverse Childhood Experiences.  https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html

[8] CDC ADDM Network. (2025). Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism.  https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/ss/pdfs/ss7402a1-H.pdf

[9] CDC / NCHS. (2023). Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities Among U.S. Children.  https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db473.pdf

[10] EAP Expert. (2026). The EAP Industry in 2026: Five Critical Trends.  https://eapexpert.com/the-eap-industry-in-2026-five-critical-trends-shaping-workplace-mental-health-2/

[11] Spring Health / Forrester Consulting. (2025). EAP Utilization Report.  https://www.springhealth.com/blog/eap-utilization-can-increase-without-increasing-program-costs

[12] The Lancet Public Health. (2025). Prevalence of Severe Mental Illness Among People in Prison.  https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(24)00280-9/fulltext

[13] StatPearls / NCBI. (2025). Psychiatric Illness and Criminality.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537064/

[14] NIH / PubMed Central. (2025). Global Burden of Drug Use Disorders.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12336172/

[15] APA. (2024). Warning Signs of Mental Illness.  https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/warning-signs-of-mental-illness

[16] NCBI / JAMA. (2024). Anxiety, Depression, and Care Barriers in Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12924096/

Statistics are reviewed and updated regularly to reflect the most current available evidence. Last reviewed: 2025–2026.

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