FACTS AND FIGURES
Learn about statistics, trends, and other relevant insights for behavioral health practitioners working to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for people in underserved communities.
Depression in Young Adults
Between 2011 and 2021, the prevalence of frequent mental distress among young adults ages 18-25 nearly doubled, increasing from 12.1% to
24.4%.
1 Concurrently, there was an 88.5% increase in the diagnosis of depression among young adults as compared to older age
groups. In 2021, young adults experienced frequent mental distress and diagnosed depression rates that were 2.3 and 1.7 times higher than
adults aged 50 and older, respectively.
1 Additionally, 4.4 million young adults (13.0%) reported serious thoughts of suicide, 1.3 million
(4.9%) made a suicide plan, and 627,000 (2.7%) attempted suicide in the past year.
2 This group was also 3.2 times more likely to report unmet
mental health treatment needs compared to older age groups.
1 This data underscores the importance of addressing mental and behavioral health
issues among young adults.
SAMHSA provides resources to support mental health interventions and support services for this age group.