The 5 Most Common Mental Health Disorders Among U.S. Adults

Anxiety, depression, PTSD, bi-polar…

Get Help Now Verify Insurance

Let’s check if your insurance provider will cover your treatment costs.

Verify Insurance

The prevalence, symptoms, & treatment options for each

Getting rid of the stigma surrounding mental illness

Let’s look in more detail at those mental health disorders which are the most prevalent and widespread in the U.S., each of them affecting millions and millions of people every single year, and the range of symptoms (from mild to severe) that impact sufferers on a daily basis.

#1. Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are by far the most common form of mental illness seen in the U.S., affecting 48 million adults in the U.S. (age 18 and older), or 19.1% of the population every year, according to “Mental Health By The Numbers,” published by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Although anxiety disorders are highly treatable, only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment. As with all types of mental illness, the stigma people wrongly associate with mental health issues is an obstacle to necessary treatment, as well as difficulties with finding a provider and the cost of treatment.

Anxiety disorders can develop from a complex group of potential risk factors:

Genetics
Brain chemistry
Personality & life events

Did you know that people with an anxiety disorder are 3 – 5 times more likely to go to the doctor, and 6 times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than those without an anxiety disorder?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are closely related to anxiety disorders, and can be experienced at the same time, along with depression.

IMPORTANT: In our article, however, they are considered as separate conditions, particularly as PTSD is the 4th most common mental health disorder among U.S. adults.

#2. Depression

In general terms, depression occurs more often in women than men. In men, it often manifests as tiredness, irritability, anger, reckless behavior, and substance abuse.

Additionally, men do not usually recognize that they are depressed, and often do not seek help.

In women, however, depression will manifest as sadness, guilt, and low self-esteem.

When someone experiences severe depression, regardless of its initial cause, they are likely to be clinically diagnosed with either major depressive disorder (MDD) or persistent depressive disorder (PDD, formerly termed dysthymia).

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (often termed as either clinical depression or major depression) is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for those aged 15 to 44 years of age.

MDD affects more than 17 million adults in the U.S., or about 6.9% of the adult population (aged 18 and older).

While MDD can develop at any age, the average age of onset is around 32 years old. Additionally, like many disorders, it is more prevalent in women than in men.

The condition is clinically diagnosed by having at least 5 symptoms from the list of the 9 most common symptoms, as published in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (known by clinicians as DSM-5).

The 9 common symptoms of depression for diagnostic purposes are as follows:

Depressed mood
Weight loss or gain
Fatigue
Loss of interest/pleasure
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Decreased concentration
Feeling worthless
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Thoughts of death/suicide

The symptoms must last for a period of 2 weeks or longer, and the individual should show a steep decline in their daily functioning, such as social, occupational or educational functioning.

For example, the individual may start missing work or school or be opting out of their usual social activities.

Depression is a common mental health condition that often goes undiagnosed or untreated. At Modern Recovery Services, we offer online therapy for depression that is easy and convenient for you.

LEARN MORE

Persistent Depressive Disorder

Persistent depressive disorder is a long-term form of depression, affecting around 1.5% of U.S. adults, or about 3.3 million adults. The main characteristic of this disorder is a sad mood that persists for most of the day, most days, for a minimum of 2 years.

For diagnosis, during the 2-year period, any symptom-free intervals can last no longer than 2 months.

The symptoms are considered not as severe as those of major depression. MDD can be present prior to PDD, and episodes of MDD can also occur during PDD.

#3. Co-Occurring Disorder

People with substance use disorders (SUDs), where they have become dependent or addicted to specific drugs or alcohol, are at an increased risk of developing one or more other primary conditions or chronic diseases.

One of the most common of these is the coexistence of both a mental illness and a SUD; this is known as a co-occurring disorder. Researchers have found that around half of individuals who suffer from a SUD during their lifetime will also experience a co-occurring mental disorder – and vice versa.

(844) 949-3989

Treating co-occurring disorders successfully is often dependent upon both conditions being treated simultaneously. Co-occurring disorders can include: Anxiety disorders, Depression, Bipolar disorder, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Borderline personality disorder (BPD), Schizophrenia

While SUDs and other mental health disorders commonly co-occur, it does not mean that one has caused the other. Research suggests 3 possible explanations why co-occurring disorders feature so regularly together:

Common risk factors: Both SUDs and other mental disorders share many common risk factors, such as genetics, and environmental factors, such as stress or trauma.
Mental health disorders contribute to substance use and SUDs: Studies have found that people with a mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), will often use drugs or alcohol as a form of “self-medication.” However, these substances over time will worsen both conditions.
Substance use and SUDs contribute to the development of other mental disorders: Substance use has been found to trigger changes in brain structure and function that increase the likelihood of a mental health disorder developing.

#4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD (as it is commonly abbreviated), is a serious, potentially debilitating condition that occurs in those who have experienced first-hand or witnessed a traumatic event, like assault, combat, or disaster.

Such events can cause stress reactions, and if these reactions remain, and persist over time, disrupting their lives, the individual can develop PTSD.

Traumatic events that are known to result in PTSD include:

Natural disasters
Serious accident
Personality & life events
Terrorist incident
Violent personal assault, such as rape
War / Military combat
Sudden death of a loved one

It is estimated that around 9 million adults suffer from PTSD, making the condition the fourth most common mental health disorder in the U.S.

PTSD is often characterized by the sufferer experiencing flashbacks of the traumatic event they experienced or witnessed. This can cause severe relationship issues with their close family, loved ones, and friendships.

Furthermore, women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men, and it’s not just limited to adults – children can also develop it, too. In fact, childhood sexual abuse is a strong predictor of a lifetime likelihood of developing PTSD.

Tragically, the most likely trigger of PTSD in the U.S. is rape: 65% of men and 45.9% of women who are raped will develop the disorder.

Unsurprisingly, PTSD often occurs with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders.

PTSD Symptoms

PTSD presents as 4 different symptoms, but they may not be exactly the same for everyone. These are:

Reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms): Memories of the traumatic event can come back at any time, such as nightmares, actively reliving the event (flashback), or can be triggered by particular sights, sounds, or smells, eg. hearing fireworks.
Avoiding things that are reminiscent of the trauma: Constantly trying to avoid situations or people that are reminiscent of the event; for example, avoiding crowds.
Having more negative thoughts and feelings than before the event: The trauma makes sufferers think about themselves and others more negatively, eg. feeling emotionally numb, losing interest in activities that were previously enjoyable, having difficulty trusting, and believing the world is dangerous.
Feeling constantly on edge (also called hyperarousal): This symptom is always feeling alert and jittery or on the lookout for danger. People in this state can suddenly become angry or irritable.

It is estimated that around 9 million adults suffer from PTSD, making the condition the fourth most common mental health disorder in the U.S.

Tragically, the most likely trigger of PTSD in the U.S. is rape: 65% of men and 45.9% of women who are raped will develop the disorder.

Unsurprisingly, PTSD often occurs with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders.

#5. Bipolar Disorder

Most people normally experience anxiety sporadically during their lives, and it’s perfectly natural for our moods to change or our anxiety level to rise when a stressful or difficult event occurs.

However, some people experience feelings of anxiety or depression or suffer mood swings that are so severe that they constantly interfere with their daily lives, as in their personal relationships, their work, and their normal functioning.

These people may be suffering from bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or both.

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes abnormal and dramatic shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and their ability to function as they normally do.

The “mood episodes” associated with bipolar disorder can last for days to weeks or even longer, and can be dramatic for others to witness, with periods of being really high and/or really irritable to periods of real depression, and a sense of hopelessness.

These periods of highs and lows, called episodes of mania and depression respectively, can be distinct episodes recurring over time, or they can occur together all at once, in what is known as a so-called mixed state.

Usually, people with bipolar disorder experience periods of normal mood in between their mood episodes.

Fortunately, both of these disorders – bipolar and anxiety – are treatable, both separately and together.

Before we had ever heard of the phrase “COVID-19,” the decline in mental health and general wellbeing in the U.S. was already becoming a rapidly growing public health crisis.

In 2020, the data from pre-pandemic studies and surveys reported that approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. would experience mental health issues at some point in their lives – a ratio that amounts to millions and millions of Americans nationwide.

In fact, with such a high prevalence of mental health problems being continually seen in the U.S., it’s likely that someone you know is dealing with one right now, and it’s very likely that you do not even know what they are going through on a daily basis.

Author: Modern Recovery Editorial Team
APRIL 28, 2022