The vast majority (nine out of 10) of American adults say that the country is in the midst of a mental health crisis. This is how survey participants responded in a new survey from CNN in cooperation with the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The survey gathered opinions from a representative sample of 2,000 adults over the summer of 2022. It captured the impressions of the American public 30 months into the Covid-19 pandemic and in an atmosphere of multiple public health threats, including gun violence and racism.
When asked for their opinion about the severity of several mental health concerns, survey participants placed the opioid epidemic close to the top of the list. More than two-thirds of respondents said it was a crisis, not just a problem. Over half of the respondents said that adults and children’s severe mental health issues had also reached crisis levels.
Mental Health Concerns are Personal for Many
• Half of the survey respondents revealed they have had “a severe mental health crisis in their family.” They said this included someone needing to be treated at an in-patient facility because they were a threat to themselves or others or a family member was self-harming.
• More than 20% of adults said their mental health was either “fair” or “poor.” Most people in this category identify as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transexual) or have an annual income of less than $40,000 annually.
• One in five adults agreed that they were either often or always feeling depressed or lonely during the past 12 months.
• At least one-third of adults cited personal finances, current events, and political matters as a “major source of stress. ”
• Twenty-five percent of survey respondents said their personal relationships and work were stressful.
Mental Health Treatment Statistics
The survey results showed that about 20% of respondents received mental health services in the past 12 months. According to earlier statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of people seeking mental health treatment increased during the pandemic: Close to 22% of adults got help in 2021, up from approximately 19% in 2019.
Most adults with fair or poor mental health stated they don’t feel comfortable sharing their concerns with their loved ones. Some said they wanted to maintain their privacy. In contrast, others admitted they had concerns about the stigma and shame associated with mental health issues.
Access to care is also an issue, with 60% of those with fair or poor mental health stating they have not been able to get the help they need. About half of adults younger than 30 and LGBT adults responded similarly.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/05/health/cnn-kff-mental-health-poll-wellness/index.html