Serious Psychological Distress

Of 24 million people, less than half get help.

In 2007, 24.3 million adults age 18 or older experienced serious psychological distress (SPD) in the past year—that’s 10.9 percent of adults in the United States. About 44.6 percent of these also received mental health services in the past year.

These and other findings from SAMHSA’s 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) are discussed in the recent report, Serious Psychological Distress and Receipt of Mental Health Services.

SPD is a nonspecific indicator of past-year mental health problems, such as anxiety or mood disorders.

Quick Facts

• In 2007, past-year SPD was higher among young adults age 18 to 25 (17.9 percent) than among those age 26 to 49 (12.2 percent) and those age 50 or older (7.0 percent) (see chart).
• Young adults age 18 to 25 with SPD were less likely than their older counterparts to have received mental health services (29.4 vs. 47.2 percent among those age 26 to 49 and 53.8 percent among those aged 50 or older).
• Of those adults who had past-year SPD and received mental health services, 87.0 percent received prescription medication, 61.3 percent received outpatient services, and 11.4 percent received inpatient services.

Serious Psychological Distress and Receipt of Mental Health Services is available on SAMHSA’s Office of Applied Studies Web site.

Previously in SAMHSA News

Depression: For Teens, Not Just Growing Pains, May/June 2008

Depression: Reports Offer Statistics, May/June 2007.

Percentages of Adults with Past Year Serious Psychological Distress, by Age Group: 2007