Over half of US adults surveyed reported concerns about their mental health

While 56% of U.S. adults reported concerns about their mental health, only 29% have elected to see a professional counselor or therapist, according to survey results.

The State of Mental Health was a research study conducted in February 2022 by Ramsey Solutions, which surveyed 1,001 U.S. adults on three main topics: mental health, relationships and wellness. The study found that 90% of Americans believe taking care of their mental health is important, 56% are concerned about their own mental health and 50% experience stress on a daily basis.

The report also noted that only 27% believe their mental health is better off than this same time last year, with Gen Z and millennials more likely to report worse mental health than in the year prior. This generational divide was also observed in other metrics of mental health, with 71% of Gen Z and 58% of millennials reporting that anxiety impacts their daily life, 49% of Gen Z and 43% of millennials reporting feeling lonely on a weekly basis and 68% of Gen Z and 60% of millennials often feeling like they cannot control their thoughts.

In terms of relationships, 82% of those surveyed said that their friends and those they spend the most time with do not know them deeply, and 54% said they don’t have a friend they feel comfortable calling with an emergency in the middle of the night. The study attributes these changes in how and who people connect with, in part, to the pandemic and other societal shifts.

“Our bodies are screaming for attention,” John Delony, PhD, mental health expert at Ramsey Solutions, said in a press release. “I’m not surprised by the study’s findings. We don’t feel safe, we don’t feel connected, and we feel out of control. We’ve stopped doing things that keep us well.”

Reference:

• Ramsey Solutions. The State of Mental Health 2022. https://cdn.ramseysolutions.net/media/b2c/personalities/delony/web/research/mental-health-study/2022-SoMHA-report.pdf?_gl=1*1dyt588*_ga*ODQxOTQzODI0LjE2NDg3MzY5NzQ.*_ga_02SXDH1H96*MTY0ODc1NTc4NC4yLjEuMTY0ODc1NTk1MS40OQ..&_ga=2.9379510.247854233.1648736975-841943824.1648736974. Accessed March 31, 2022.