20.6%
of U.S. adults had any mental illness
That equals 54.6 million adults age 18 or older in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and HealthReference guide
U.S. adult mental health statistics.
Clear, citable 2025 data on mental health, treatment access, telehealth, and unmet need. This page uses the latest annual national survey results available from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Last updated October 12, 2026. Data year: 2025.
Key statistics
The 2025 picture, at a glance.
6.9%
of U.S. adults had serious mental illness
An estimated 18.2 million adults experienced serious mental illness in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health19.7M
adults had a major depressive episode
This represented 7.4% of adults age 18 or older in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health13.8M
adults had depression with severe impairment
This represented 5.2% of adults age 18 or older in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health57.3M
adults received mental health treatment
That was 21.6% of adults in 2025, across counseling, medication, telehealth, and other care settings.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health32.6M
adults received mental health care by telehealth
That was 12.3% of adults in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health50.9%
of adults with mental illness received treatment
Among the 54.6 million adults with any mental illness, 27.8 million received mental health treatment in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health26.8M
adults with mental illness received no treatment
This is the difference between the 54.6 million adults with any mental illness and the 27.8 million who received treatment in 2025.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health13.9M
adults had serious thoughts of suicide
In 2025, 4.9 million adults made a suicide plan and 2.3 million attempted suicide.
Source: SAMHSA, 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and HealthHow to read this page
These statistics describe a national need for accessible care.
These figures are national estimates, not a count of NorthStar patients or a measure of any one community. They help show the scale of adult mental health needs and the role that practical access to evaluation, medication support, counseling, and virtual visits can play.
The survey defines “any mental illness” as a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder that met defined criteria during the prior year. “Serious mental illness” refers to illness that substantially interfered with one or more major life activities. The federal survey notes that these estimates are based on a statistical prediction model, not direct clinical diagnoses.
Methodology and sources
About the data.
All statistics on this page come from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health annual national report. The survey reports nationally representative estimates for people in the United States. The figures above are limited to adults age 18 or older and refer to the 2025 survey year.
The 26.8 million figure is calculated from two source estimates, not separately reported by the survey: 54.6 million adults with any mental illness minus 27.8 million who received treatment. The next review is planned for November 2026, or sooner if the federal source releases a newer annual report. For urgent mental health or suicide concerns, call or text 988 in the United States.
Cite this page
Suggested citation.
NorthStar Behavioral Health. “U.S. Adult Mental Health Statistics: 2025 Data.” Updated October 12, 2026. https://northstarbehavioralhealth.org/mental-health-statistics