World Mental Health Day & National Depression Education and Awareness Month

In the United States, nearly 20% of adults experience a mental health condition and just under 5% are living with a severe mental health condition.¹ That’s almost 50 million Americans. Though the stigma around mental health has lessened in recent years, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure everyone gets the support they need.

Below, learn more about how World Mental Health Day and National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month are working to bring much-needed education and attention to mental health, key mental health statistics to know, and where to access resources for depression and mental health.

World Mental Health Day 2022

World Mental Health Day— also known as Mental Health Awareness Day—is observed every year on October 10th. The purpose of this globally recognized day is to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help for mental health concerns.

In 1992, World Mental Health Day was created by the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH), a 74-year-old organization that supports mental health awareness and advocacy in over 90 countries.

There are many ways to participate in World Mental Health Day 2022. Here are a few ideas:

• Learn more about mental health. Use the Find Center website to curate information on a variety of mental health related topics, read through Mental Health America’s 2022 State of Mental Health in America report, and check out this list of mental health podcasts.
• Share your story. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and This is My Brave give people the opportunity to share their mental health experiences to help others struggling with their mental health.
• Take good care of yourself. Taking care of your own mental health is the best way to celebrate World Mental Health Day. Spend time in nature, meditate, exercise, eat healthy foods, and seek out support for your mental health using the resources shared below.

National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month 2022

October is also National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month. This important initiative aims to create awareness around depression and advocate for accessible and affordable mental health screenings.

Throughout the month of October, mental health organizations and advocates teach people how to recognize signs and symptoms of depression in themselves and others, as well as share resources for mental health screenings and support for depression.

To learn more about depression, check out these articles from HelpGuide, an independent nonprofit focused on sharing trustworthy mental health and wellbeing information:

• Depression Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Depression Types, Causes, and Risk Factors
• Depression in Women
• Depression in Men
• Depression in Older Adults
• Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression
• Postpartum Depression
• Helping Someone with Depression

For free online mental health screenings, Mental Health America and the Anxiety & Depression Association of America have great options.

Key mental health and depression statistics to know

• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.²
• Individuals identifying as being two or more races (24.9%) are more likely to experience a mental health condition than any other race or ethnic group.³
• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.⁴
• 56% of adults with a mental illness don’t receive the treatment they need.⁵
• 32.1% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in 2020.⁴
• Black American adults are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems, such as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.⁶
• More than 80% of Black Americans are very concerned about the stigma associated with mental illness, which discourages them from seeking treatment.⁷

Important statistics about mental health and depression in youth

• Over 2.5 million youth in the U.S. have severe major depression.⁵
• Over 60% of youth with major depression don’t receive any mental health treatment.⁵
• Black and Hispanic children were about 14% less likely than white youth to receive treatment for their depression.⁸

Statistics about mental health and depression in the LGBTQAI+ community

• LGBTQIA+ individuals are twice as likely to experience a mental health condition.⁹
• 39% of LGBTQAI+ adults are diagnosed with depression.¹⁰
• LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens.¹¹
• 86% of LGBTQ youth screened positive or moderate to severe for a mental health condition.¹²
• 58% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing symptoms of depression.¹³

Where to find mental health and depression support

Urgent mental health help

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
‍1-800-273-TALK (8255) or live online chat

Crisis Text Line
Text CRISIS to 741741

The Trevor Project
1-866-488-7386 or live online chat

Mental health resources

• Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• Mental Health America
• Kids Mental Health
• Teen Mental Health

LGBTQAI+ mental health resources

• National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network
• It Gets Better Project (LGBTQ+ youth)
• The Trevor Project

BIPOC mental health resources

• The Asian Mental Health Project
• The Loveland Foundation
• Therapy for LatinX
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)
• Therapy For Black Girls
• The Steve Fund (BIPOC youth)

References

1. https://mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-adult-data
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15939837
3. https://www.apa.org/advocacy/civil-rights/diversity/african-american-health
4. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt35325/NSDUHFFRPDFWHTMLFiles2020/2020NSDUHFFR1PDFW102121.pdf
5. https://mhanational.org/sites/default/files/2022%20State%20of%20Mental%20Health%20in%20America.pdf
6. https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/addressing-mental-health-black-community
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4279858/
8. https://mhanational.org/addressing-youth-mental-health-crisis-urgent-need-more-education-services-and-supports
9. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-SexualOrientation-2015/NSDUH-SexualOrientation-2015/NSDUH-SexualOrientation-2015.htm
10. https://www.hrc.org/resources/qtbipoc-mental-health-and-well-being
11. https://adaa.org/lgbtq-communities
12. https://www.mhanational.org/lgbtq-mental-health-insights-mha-screening
13. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/#anxiety-depression