The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a serious toll, killing 1.4 million Americans since 2020, creating a global recession, and disrupting the lives of tens of millions in ways that show few signs of lessening.
During the pandemic, America saw a sharp rise in its mental health crises, with 3 in 10 adults reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. This percentage is even higher in young adults and adolescents, with almost 50% of ages 18-24 experiencing anxiety or a depressive disorder and 57% of girls and 29% of boys struggling with loss of hope and depression as of 2023. In 2021, 14.5 million adults and 5 million youths aged 12-17, which makes up 20% of the 12-17 age group, had at least one serious depressive episode, defined as a two week period of persistent depression and impairment to one’s daily activity.
Moreover, there was a sharp spike in drug overdose deaths. Roughly 100,000 deaths occurred due to drug abuse during the pandemic; a historical high and a 50% increase from pre-pandemic times. In 2021, overdose deaths in adolescents have more than doubled since 2017, marking another glaring symptom of the United States’ mental health crisis.
In the category of suicide and suicidal ideation, a CDC report dating 2021 discovered that suicide was the 11th leading cause of death, claiming over 48,000 lives and affecting youth and young adults the most. Suicide among males is four times the rate among females.
Overall, the pandemic resulted in a 25% increase in the number of mental health crisis cases compared to pre-pandemic times. Much of this can be attributed to disruptions in health care, in-person therapy, etc. Five years after the pandemic began, is the mental health crisis declining?
Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. A report still finds that 60 million adults experienced a mental health crisis in 2024, over 20% of the adult population in the U.S. Even more alarming, the analysis finds that 13 million adults experienced suicidal ideation, which is at least 5% of the U.S. population.
America’s youth does not fare any better. 1-in-5 teens aged 12 to 17 experienced a depressive episode in the past year, 50% of whom did not receive treatment. As for the youth population, roughly 10% say they had serious suicidal thoughts.
Interestingly enough, studies still show that roughly 50% of Americans care about mental health and the NIH doubled its funding for mental health support from 2013 to 2023 to over $4 billion annually. In another poll, a staggering 80% of Americans argued for federal funding for suicide hotlines, health insurance to cover for mental health issues and more. Despite all these improvements and concerns for the system, the mental health crisis remains a blazing hot issue.
The reality of declining mental health in the country opens up a plethora of questions. Why wasn’t mental health as prevalent as an issue earlier in the 2000s? Why isn’t current treatment working, and what can be done about it?
One easy answer for the crisis can be tied to smartphones. Psychologists have discovered trends of loneliness coincided with the introduction of smartphones earlier in the century and social media such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. With the rise of this new digital world, studies found that a good portion of teens use social media as much as eight hours a day.
This social media usage has a direct impact on sleep habits, as the percentage of teens sleeping less than seven hours a night increased from a third to almost 50%. Sleep deprivation is a major factor of anxiety, depression, and many negative mental health issues. It should come as no surprise that several states are suing Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, for contributing heavily to the crisis.
It’s also true that the current treatment for mental health issues is lacking. A surface level analysis is that there simply are not enough treatment options for those in need; however, that simple answer is simply not the truth. As one report finds, those in need are usually the least likely to engage in treatment because of stigmas against treatment or denial of illness. The effect is exacerbated in men, as they often find seeking care difficult due to a fear of judgment, social stigma or an inability to communicate their emotions.
In addition, the medical system is also failing us. Medical treatment is often delayed and infuriating, medicine is often administered by physicians whose expertise does not encompass mental health and therapists often do not have experience in skill-based treatments. Moreover, patients commonly feel care providers misunderstand/mislabel their problems and needs; in fact, it is often quite easy for them to feel the therapist has no genuine interest in helping them at all.
Another major problem of therapy is how many sessions are required before showing positive effects. In fact, many patients require at least 20 sessions before there are any breakthroughs. Due to the amount of time, money and effort to get through those 20 sessions, many patients opt out and instead use illegal drugs as a solution to their ills.
Although many prescription drugs meant to treat mental illnesses do benefit the patient, there are still exceptions. Some drugs actually deteriorate a patient’s situation. Antidepressants and similar drugs are meant to balance chemicals within the patient’s body; however, studies have concluded that internal chemistry is usually not the cause of such illnesses, but rather other causes such as genetics and one’s living situation. These drugs aren’t always balancing chemicals within the body but can actually create an imbalance.
Moreover, even if the drugs do work for certain individuals, they can take weeks if not months to kick in. Also, unsurprisingly, these medications often have a pandora’s box full of side effects, ranging from dizziness to weight gain and even heart problems.
Looking into the field of psychiatry itself, there is no clear-cut diagnosis or solution for any specific patient. Unlike modern medicine, which looks at biology, psychiatrists identify symptoms observed from the patient. These observations can lead to issues with misdiagnosis.
A study in 2019 concluded that the underlying foundation for psychiatric diagnoses are fundamentally “scientifically meaningless” due to their inadequate metrics and overlapping symptoms. One key example of this failed system is the administration of antidepressants: Many patients are prescribed them but most drugs fail to improve their well-being.
Additionally, a 2019 study investigating the effectiveness of therapy found that over 50% of treatments do not even have credible scientific research to back up their effectiveness.
Despite all the dark sides in the current situation, much can change. One example of this is the recent talk by celebrities , such as Lady Gaga and Adele for making America’s mental health crisis known. Reports find that with celebrities talking about their own health concerns has a positive impact on reducing stigmas against seeking support for mental health issues. With many people having parasocial relationships with such celebrities, celebrities’ willingness to be transparent allows many to find an important source of comfort on their own mental health journey.
Luckily, much is changing. Recent advances in support systems have led to online therapy, something that is easier to access for many patients. Even if the current treatment and therapy solutions are suboptimal, researchers and medical practitioners are always looking to improve and help more patients.
Policy writers are also beginning to understand the crisis. In 2022, A Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was passed that dedicated $8.5 billion to clinics for those experiencing a crisis. California passed a program costing $4.7 billion to create a network of youth support. With the end of a worldwide pandemic, attention has been garnering on a long cast aside topic, and changes are being implemented. Government authorities will implement policies if awareness is raised.
So, what can you do to help contribute to the mental health crisis? If you or anyone you know is troubled or experiencing a crisis, reach out to them to let them know they do not need to face it alone; support is readily available. Simple acts such as talking to those in need can have unbelievable positive effects on them, and if you need help acts such as eating healthily or getting some fresh air can brighten your day.
Most importantly however, it’s important for those suffering from ailments like depression to seek help. Seeking help is not a weakness, but a strength; a mental illness is just as debilitating as a physical one. Just by seeking help, sufferers are on the path to change and turn your life around. Although current treatment may not work on every single patient, many solutions can and do work.
The future hinges greatly on solving the mental health crisis that currently afflicts untold millions. It begins with each individual having the courage to help themselves or others.
