New data collected during the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests that roughly one in every five adult Americans suffered from mental illness in 2009.
The study was carried out by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which surveyed 67,500 adults over the course of the year.
It was discovered that of the 45 million Americans who suffered from mental illness last year, 11 million suffered serious illness and 8.4 million contemplated suicide. About 20 percent of all mental illness patients also reported a dependency on drugs or alcohol, with that number increasing to 25.7 percent for the severe cases.
"Too many Americans are not getting the help they need and opportunities to prevent and intervene early are being missed," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said in an agency news release.
"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. Through health care reform and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act we can help far more people get needed treatment for behavioral health problems," she stated.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.