Our NF research team compiled this Mental Health Trends report from federal survey data, payer claims, and market research published between May 2026 and June 2026. The tables below track how prevalence, access, digital care, and workplace mental health are shifting across the United States. Figures labeled 2026 are projections based on the most recent reported trend. The lead table in each section is built to answer the core question on its own.
1. Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions
Nearly one in four U.S. adults now lives with a mental health condition, and the overall rate has crept upward almost every year since the pandemic. Anxiety and depression remain the two largest drivers, but serious mental illness and a long tail of other diagnoses round out the picture. The table below tracks the share of adults reporting the most common conditions from 2024 through projected 2026.
Share of U.S. Adults With a Mental Health Condition: 2024 to 2026
| Condition | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any mental illness | 23.4% | 23.6% | 23.8% |
| Anxiety disorder | 19.0% | 19.1% | 19.4% |
| Depression | 18.0% | 18.3% | 18.6% |
| Serious mental illness | 5.6% | 5.6% | 5.7% |
Source: NIMH; SAMHSA, 2024 NSDUH; Gallup; Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Key Insights
- Any mental illness reached 23.4% of adults, an estimated 61.5 million people, in 2024, up from 22.8% in 2021.1,2
- Anxiety is the most common condition, affecting an estimated 42.5 million adults; depression has held above 18% for three straight years.3,4
- Other conditions add up: 16.8% had a substance use disorder in 2024, with lifetime rates of 6.8% for PTSD, 4.4% for bipolar disorder and adult ADHD, 2.3% for OCD, and about 1% for schizophrenia spectrum disorders.2,14,15
- Among adults with any mental illness in 2024, 34.5% also had a substance use disorder.2
Prevalence is far from uniform across age groups, and the generational gap is striking. Younger adults carry by far the heaviest burden, while rates fall sharply after age 50. The table below breaks down any-mental-illness prevalence by age band.
Any Mental Illness Prevalence by Age Group
| Age Group | Prevalence |
|---|---|
| 18 to 25 years | 36.2% |
| 26 to 49 years | 29.4% |
| 50 years and older | 13.9% |
Source: NIMH.
Key Insights
- Young adults aged 18 to 25 report the highest prevalence at 36.2%, nearly triple the 13.9% rate among adults 50 and older.1
2. Demographic Breakdown
Mental health conditions do not fall evenly across the population. Prevalence in 2026 varies widely by gender and by race or ethnicity, and the gaps shape where treatment resources are most needed. The table below profiles any-mental-illness rates across key demographic groups.
Mental Illness Prevalence by Demographic: 2026
| Demographic | Prevalence |
|---|---|
| Female | 26.4% |
| Male | 19.7% |
| Two or more races | 35.2% |
| White adults | 24.6% |
| Black adults | 21.4% |
| Hispanic adults | 20.7% |
| Asian adults | 16.8% |
Source: NIMH.
Key Insights
- Women report any mental illness at 26.4%, well above the 19.7% rate among men.1
- Prevalence is highest among adults of two or more races at 35.2% and lowest among Asian adults at 16.8%.1
- Adolescent major depressive episodes fell from 20.8% in 2021 to 15.4% in 2024.2
- About 10.1% of adults with a mental illness are uninsured versus 9.3% of those without, and adults below the poverty line face the steepest cost barriers.13
3. Treatment and Access
The treatment gap is the defining access problem in U.S. mental health. Demand far outstrips the supply of care, and only about half of adults with a diagnosable condition receive any treatment in a given year. The table below tracks the share who get care versus those left with unmet need from 2024 through projected 2026.
Mental Health Treatment Gap: 2024 to 2026
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 (projected) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults with a condition who received care | 50.6% | 51.2% | 52.0% |
| Received no treatment | 49.4% | 48.8% | 48.0% |
| Reported an unmet treatment need | 25.0% | 24.5% | 24.0% |
Source: Mental Health America; HRSA; SAMHSA, 2024 NSDUH.
Key Insights
- Just over half of adults with a condition received care in 2024, and roughly one in four reported a need they could not meet.5
- As of December 2025, 137 million Americans (40%) lived in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, up 12.3% in a single year.6
- Average waits run about 48 days, ranging from three weeks to six months, and up to three times longer in rural areas.6
- Cost, stigma, and Medicaid coverage gaps remain the top barriers to care.5
4. Digital and Teletherapy Trends
Digital care has become the front door to treatment, reshaping how Americans reach a therapist. Mental health now dominates telehealth volume, and apps and chatbots add a self-directed layer outside the traditional appointment. The table below tracks teletherapy and mental health app adoption from 2024 through 2026.
Adoption of Teletherapy and Mental Health Apps: 2024 to 2026
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health share of all telehealth visits | 58% | 65% | 70% |
| Mental health patients with a telehealth claim | 46% | 49% | 52.1% |
| Adults using chatbots monthly for health info | 12% | 15% | 17% |
Source: Epic Research; AJMC; KFF; Bipartisan Policy Center.
Key Insights
- Mental health is the largest telehealth category, now about 70% of all telehealth visits.7
- In the first quarter of 2026, 52.1% of mental health patients had a telehealth claim.7
- Apps and chatbots add a self-directed layer that many users find more comfortable than in-person care.8
5. Workplace Mental Health
Burnout is now a board-level cost, not just an HR concern. Most employees report feeling burned out or at risk, and while nearly every large employer offers support, few workers actually use it. The table below summarizes the key workplace mental health metrics for 2026.
Workplace Mental Health Metrics: 2026
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employees feeling burned out at work | 44% |
| Employees at risk of burnout | 82% |
| Employers offering an EAP | 82% |
| Median EAP utilization rate | 5.5% |
Source: American Journal of Preventive Medicine; SHRM; Meditopia.
Key Insights
- 44% of employees feel burned out and 82% are at risk of burnout.11
- 82% of employers offer an EAP, yet median utilization is just 5.5%.12
- Burnout costs employers an estimated $322 billion a year in lost productivity, and unresolved depression adds roughly $210 billion.11
- Traditional EAPs see 3% to 5% engagement, while modernized, integrated programs report rates above 40%.12
6. Executive Function and Treatment Efficacy
These five trends share one theme: demand is high and access is expanding, yet the gap between need and care persists heading into 2026. Part of that gap is about quality, not just quantity. Even when someone reaches a therapist, unaddressed executive function challenges, the skills that govern planning, task initiation, working memory, and follow-through, can quietly blunt the results. Prevalence and access data tell you who needs care; executive function often determines whether that care actually works.
The clinical evidence is direct. In a mixed-methods study of 43 mental health therapists, clinicians reported that executive function challenges affect a large share of their caseloads, span multiple diagnoses, and act as a barrier to both therapy engagement and effectiveness, yet most had limited training to address them.16 The findings below summarize why executive function deserves attention alongside diagnosis and access.
Key Insights
- Therapists see executive function challenges across a large portion of clients and across multiple conditions, not just ADHD.16
- Executive function is frequently a focus of therapy and is viewed as a direct barrier to engagement and treatment effectiveness.16
- Unaddressed executive function gaps erode homework adherence and momentum between sessions, where much of the progress in therapy is made.16,17
- Clinicians report limited executive function training, leaving a gap that structured, skills-based coaching can fill alongside clinical care.16
Source: Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health; Blueprint.
This is where executive function coaching complements clinical care. For neurodivergent individuals and anyone whose mental health support stalls on planning, follow-through, or task initiation, New Frontiers offers virtual executive function coaching nationwide, with no diagnosis required. Learn more about who they work with, or explore what coaching looks like, to get started.
References
1. National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Illness Statistics, nimh.nih.gov
2. SAMHSA, 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, samhsa.gov
3. Gallup, U.S. Depression Rate Remains Historically High, news.gallup.com
4. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Facts and Statistics, adaa.org
5. Mental Health America and HRSA, The State of Mental Health in America, mhanational.org
6. HRSA, Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas Statistics, data.hrsa.gov
7. Epic Research and AJMC, Telehealth Utilization, epicresearch.org
8. KFF and Bipartisan Policy Center, Rise in Use of Mental Health Apps, kff.org
9. Towards Healthcare, Digital Mental Health Market Sizing, towardshealthcare.com
10. Brown University School of Public Health and AJMC, AI Chatbot Use for Mental Health, sph.brown.edu
11. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Health and Economic Burden of Employee Burnout, ajpmonline.org
12. SHRM and Meditopia, EAP Statistics and Utilization Rates, meditopia.com
13. KFF, Uninsured Rates Among Adults With Mental Illness, kff.org
14. NAMI, Mental Health By the Numbers, nami.org
15. National Institute of Mental Health, Statistics on PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, OCD, and Schizophrenia, nimh.nih.gov
16. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Mental Health Therapist Perspectives on the Role of Executive Functioning in Children’s Mental Health Services, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
17. Blueprint, Executive Dysfunction: A Treatment-Focused Guide for Therapists in Clinical Practice, blueprint.ai
