Rates of Anxiety, Depression Rising Among Americans, Especially the Young

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 -- Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially younger folks, continues to rise, the latest federal data shows.

Nearly 1 in every 5 (18.2%) adults reported anxiety issues in 2022, up from 15.6% in 2019, reported Emily Terlizzi and Benjamin Zablotsky, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As for depression, rates among adults rose from 18.5% to 21.4% during the same time period, the new survey found.

Young adults were the most affected: More than a quarter (26.6%) of people ages 18 through 29 said they'd struggled with anxiety symptoms over the prior two weeks, compared to about 21% of those aged 30 to 44, just under 16% for those aged 45 to 64, and 11.2% among people 65 or older.

For nearly 10% of young adults, their anxiety was rated as moderate or severe, the researchers noted.

Age-related trends were similar for depression: nearly 27% of young adults surveyed said they'd felt depressed at some point over the past two weeks, with rates dropping off with increasing age. The rate among seniors, for example, was 18.6%.

For almost 10% of young adults, depression symptoms were rated as moderate or severe.

None of these statistics will come as a surprise to health experts. In 2021, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a report outlining a "crisis" in mental health among American youth.

“Young people are bombarded with messages through the media and popular culture that erode their sense of self-worth -- telling them they are not good-looking enough, popular enough, smart enough or rich enough,” Murthy wrote in the report. “That comes as progress on legitimate, and distressing, issues like climate change, income inequality, racial injustice, the opioid epidemic and gun violence feels too slow.”

The new CDC data was based on responses to the 2022 National Health Interview Survey.

In other findings, rates of anxiety and depression rose as incomes and education fell, the survey showed. For example, while 13.4% of people in the highest income bracket said they'd felt anxious over the prior two weeks, that was true for 28.4% in the lowest income bracket.

As Terlizzi and Zablotsky note, mental health troubles affect more than just the mind.

"Mental and physical health are strongly linked, as adults diagnosed with mental health conditions are more likely to have physical health issues, as well as decreased health-related quality of life," they wrote.

The findings were published Nov. 7 in National Health Statistics Reports: Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Adults: United States, 2019 and 2022.

Sources

  • National Health Statistics Reports: Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Adults: United States, 2019 and 2022, Nov. 7, 2024

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2024-11-08 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords