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One in FIVE Americans is mentally ill as rising unemployment takes its toll

Daily Mail Reporter

Survey: nearly one in THREE young adults has a mental illness

More than 45million Americans, or 20 per cent of U.S. adults, had some form of mental illness last year, it was revealed this week.

U.S. government research showed that of those 45million, 11million had a serious illness.

Young adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest level of mental illness at 30 per cent, while those aged 50 and older had the lowest, with 13.7 per cent, said the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA.

Mental illness is taking an especially high toll on young adults in America, the new survey has shown (file photo)

The rate, slightly higher than last year's 19.5 per cent figure, reflected increasing depression, especially among the unemployed, SAMHSA, part of the National Institutes of Health, said.

'Too many Americans are not getting the help they need and opportunities to prevent and intervene early are being missed,' Pamela Hyde, SAMHSA's administrator, said in a statement.

'The consequences for individuals, families and communities can be devastating. If left untreated mental illnesses can result in disability, substance abuse, suicides, lost productivity, and family discord.'

The 2009 mental health survey hints at the impact of record unemployment rates, which last year hit a 25-year high as struggling employers slashed jobs to cope with a weak economy.

For many, lost employment meant loss of health insurance, leaving many of the nation's mentally ill unable to get treatment.

According to the survey, 6.1million adults last year had a mental health need that went untreated, and 42.5 per cent said it was because they could not afford it.

It found 14.8million Americans had major depression last year, and 10 per cent of the jobless did.

That is compared with 7.5 per cent of retired people or those not in the job force, 7.3 per cent who worked part time and 5.4 per cent who worked full time.

Only 64 per cent of adults aged 18 or older with major depression were treated last year, compared with 71 per cent a year ago.

Being jobless also increased the risk of suicide.

Adults who were unemployed last year were twice as likely to have serious thoughts of suicide as people who were fully employed, with 6.6 per cent of the unemployed considering suicide, compared with 3.1 per cent of those who were working.

The survey also found that 23.8 per cent of women had some form of mental illness, compared with 15.6 per cent of men.

Nov. 21, 2010

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331636/1-5-Americans-mentally-ill-joblessness-takes-toll.html

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