Data reveals 4 in 5 people show signs of a mental health condition

More than 5.9 million people worldwide in 2024 took a mental health screening test through Mental Health America’s (MHA) online National Prevention and Screening Program, with 78% of screeners located in the U.S. scoring positive for moderate to severe symptoms of a mental health condition. The depression test eclipsed the ADHD screen to become the most widely taken in 2024.

MHA is releasing this data on the first day of Mental Health Month, which it founded in 1949 to promote mental health and well-being through awareness and education. This year’s Mental Health Month theme, “Turn Awareness into Action,” celebrates the progress that has been made while challenging us all to turn that understanding into meaningful steps toward change. 

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MHA’s National Prevention and Screening Program is a collection of free, anonymous and clinically validated online screening tools, with 11 tests in English and two in Spanish. People who complete a screening test are immediately connected with resources to support their mental health journeys. Since its inception in 2014, more than 32 million people have taken a screen to check on their mental health concerns—making it the nation’s largest ongoing, real-time mental health early identification program.

According to the screening data, young people continue to struggle with mental health and addiction at alarming rates. In 2024, about 40% of people who took screens were under the age of 18, and nearly 50% of youth reported frequent suicidal ideation—defined as thoughts of suicide more than half the week or nearly every day. Among those under 18 who screened at risk for a mental health condition, 61% cited low self-esteem or self-image while 48% cited body image as a reason of concern.

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“Mental Health America’s 2024 data confirms what we already know to be true: We are in a mental health crisis that can affect anyone, anywhere,” said Schroeder Stribling, president and CEO of Mental Health America. “Mental health is health, and it affects us all. There are many social and environmental stressors impacting individuals and families across the country—whether you’re someone who lives in a remote rural community, a young person facing online bullying, or someone who is bearing the weight of family financial strain, one’s mental health is directly impacted. We hope that our Mental Health Month resources shine a light on these issues and support the needs of those who are seeking to understand and improve their mental health.”

Other notable 2024 screening trends include:

  • As income rises, the risk for a mental health condition decreases–for example, there’s a 10% difference between those earning less than $20,000 at risk (82%) vs more than $150,000 at risk (72%).
  • Overall, 54% of screeners at risk for a mental health condition cited low self-esteem or self-image and 41% cited relationship problems as a concern.
  • Among those at risk, 60% of individuals indicated they had never received treatment for a mental health condition before.

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Source – PR Newswire