Mental health disorders account for several of the top causes of disability in established market economies, such as the U.S., worldwide, and include: major depression (also called clinical depression), manic depression (also called bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older -- about 1 in 4 adults -- suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with substance use and anxiety disorders.
Approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year.
Women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from major depression than men. However, men and women are equally likely to develop bipolar disorder.
While major depression can develop at any age, the average age at onset is the mid-20s.
With bipolar disorder, which affects approximately 2.6% of Americans age 18 and older in a given year -- the average age at onset for a first manic episode is during the early 20s.
Most people who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder -- most commonly a depressive disorder or a substance use disorder.