This overview of national and state level data from CDC data sources showcases trends in mental health and well-being among youth and adults in the United States. Both mental and physical health are essential to overall health. Understanding these data can help us take actions to improve the nation’s mental health, including strengthening conditions where we learn, live, work, and play.
Mental health data highlights
Youth mental health
Adult depression
Adult social and emotional support
Explore mental health data, trends, and resources
Understanding data from across CDC sources can help paint a comprehensive picture of the overall state of mental health and well-being among youth and adults. Explore the topics below to learn more.
Data and resources on life satisfaction and youth and adult physical and mental health status.
Data and resources on youth and adult depression and anxiety and adult mental health care.
Data and resources on youth and adult feelings of loneliness and social connection and support.
National data on youth and adult mental health-related visits to the emergency department (ED).
National data on suicide-related ED visits and suicidal thoughts and attempts among youth.
Mental health definitions
- Mental health is the component of behavioral health that includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.1 Mental health is a state of well-being that enables us to cope with the stresses of life, realize our abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to our community.2
- Mental distress3 is a general term for a subjective sense of discomfort, mental anguish, perceived lack of control, anxiety, or stress. This state is also known as psychological distress.
- Well-being4 is a state of positive functioning and general satisfaction with life, including the presence of positive emotions. This state may also be due to economic, environmental, and social conditions that contribute to a sense of purpose and meaning.
- A mental health condition is an illness or disorder that affects your thinking, feeling, behavior, or mood.5 Health care professionals use guidelines in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to diagnose mental health conditions.6
CDC’s prevention approach
Addressing the nation’s mental health crisis relies on more than treatment. CDC focuses on the drivers of well-being and mental distress to promote well-being and prevent mental health conditions before they develop or worsen, particularly among youth. Learn more about CDC’s approach.
Content Source:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
- SAMHSA. (2023). What is Mental Health. Retrieved April 10, 2024 from https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health
- World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health. Retrieved on June 24, 2024 from https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
- American Psychological Association (APA). (2018). Dictionary of psychology: Psychological distress. Retrieved on April 10, 2024 from https://dictionary.apa.org/psychological-distress; SAMHSA. (2023). Warning signs and risk factors for emotional distress. Retrieved on April 10, 2024 from https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline/warning-signs-risk-factors.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Well-being concepts. Retrieved on April 10, 2024 from https://archive.cdc.gov/#/details?url=https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/wellbeing.htm; WHO. (2024). Promoting well-being. Retrieved on April 10, 2024 from https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-well-being.
- SAMHSA. (2023). Mental health and substance use disorders. Retrieved on April 10, 2024 from https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disorders.
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
