Behavioral Health in the United States

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) has issued a new report on the behavioral health of citizens in the United States. It is the first edition of SAMHSA’s Behavioral Health Barometer: United States, which will be one of a series of State and national reports that provide a snapshot of the state of behavioral health in the Nation. Sharing from SAMHSA’s site and news release, the Behavioral Health Barometer (Barometer) 2013 provides data about serious mental illness, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, underage drinking and the percentages of those who seek treatment for these disorders — all considered key indicators of behavioral health problems in the United States. The Barometer shows these data at the national level, and for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“Unlike many behavioral health reports, its focus is not only on what is going wrong in terms of behavioral health, but what is improving and how communities might build on that progress,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D.

Below is a portion of the table of contents and a sampling of what you will find in this report on behavioral health in the United States:

Sharing the behavioral health of the United States with regards to

Sharing a snapshot of the behavioral health of the United States with regards to serious mental illness, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, underage drinking and the percentages of those who seek treatment for these disorders.

 

YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE

  • Marijuana Use – In the U.S., the mean age of first marijuana use in 2012 was 13.9 years. p. 5
  • Nonmedical Pain Reliever Use
  • Illicit Drug Use
  • Cigarette Use
  • Age at First Use and Risk Perceptions – In the U.S., 56.4% of 12- to 17-year olds in 2012 perceived no great risk from marijuana use once or twice a week, and 60.3% perceived no great risk from having five or more drinks once or twice a week. p. 5

YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND TREATMENT

  • Depression
  • Treatment for Depression – In the U.S., 9.1% of 12-to 17-year-olds (an estimated 2.2 million youths) in 2012 had at least one MDE (Major Depressive Episode) within the year prior to being surveyed. p. 6

ADULT MENTAL HEALTH AND TREATMENT

  • Thoughts of Suicide – In the U.S., 3.9% of adults (an estimated 9 million individuals) in 2012 reported having serious thoughts of suicide within the year prior to being surveyed. p. 8
  • Serious Mental Illness
  • Treatment for Serious Mental Illness

SUBSTANCE USE

  • Alcohol Dependence and Abuse – In 2012, 18- to 25-year olds had the highest rate of alcohol dependence or abuse (14.3%) among persons aged 12 or older. p. 11
  • Illicit Drug Dependence and Abuse
  • Heavy Alcohol Use

SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT

  • Enrollment and Treatment Focus – In 2012, in a single-day count, 1.25 million persons in the U.S. were enrolled in substance abuse treatment – an increase from 1.19 million persons in 2008. p. 14
  • Alcohol
  • Opioids (Medication-Assisted Therapy)
  • Illicit Drugs

 

To get a copy of the Behavioral Health Barometer for the nation or by individual state, please click here.

 

Lisa Frederiksen

Lisa Frederiksen

Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com
Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when your loved one drinks too much,” and "Loved One In Treatment? Now What!” She is a national keynote speaker with over 30 years speaking experience, consultant and founder of BreakingTheCycles.com. Lisa has spent the last 19+ years studying and simplifying breakthrough research on the brain, substance use and other mental health disorders, secondhand drinking, toxic stress, trauma/ACEs and related topics.
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