Alexandria, VA, May 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In 2025, 97,000 people under the age of 18 in the United States took a depression screening on Mental Health America’s website, and 51% reported frequent suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide more than half of the days of the previous two weeks). This marks the highest rate of youth suicidal ideation ever recorded since the launch of Mental Health America’s screening program in 2014, underscoring the need for continued action to support mental health and suicide prevention efforts among young people.
Mental Health America’s screening program represents the largest mental health dataset ever collected from a help-seeking population. Trends from Mental Health America’s screening data often mirror what is later seen in national surveys, providing an early signal of emerging mental health concerns. Consistent with federal datasets, Mental Health America’s screening data showed promising decreases in youth reporting frequent thoughts of suicide in the U.S. between 2022 and 2024, following high rates in 2020 and 2021.
“To see widespread and lasting progress in youth mental health, we must support widespread and lasting investment in prevention and other programs that we know are effective,” said Pierluigi Mancini, Ph.D., interim president and CEO of Mental Health America. “The past year has been challenging for many of the communities we serve, and these screening data offer important real-time insights into where greater support may be needed. To anyone out there who may be struggling — no matter how you are feeling in this moment, remember that more good days are possible, help is available, and you are not alone.”
Since launching in 2014, more than 32 million mental health screens have been completed through Mental Health America’s screening program, helping people explore their mental health and connect with personalized information and resources. The program currently offers over a dozen free, anonymous, and clinically-validated screenings for common mental health conditions, including depression, ADHD, anxiety, addiction, and more.
Mental Health America analyzed responses from 1,136,058 screens taken by those who self-reported living in the U.S. in 2025. Other notable 2025 screening trends include:
- On average, 79% of people who took a screen on Mental Health America’s website in 2025 scored at risk for a mental health condition. Of those who scored at risk, 56% had never received treatment for a mental health condition before. This underscores the need for greater access to mental health care and early intervention.
- Of people who took a behavioral addiction screen, 40% were most concerned with excessive internet use, including social media, videos, and doomscrolling. This underscores the need for expanded research, education, safeguards, and interventions to support people who may be struggling with problematic technology use.
- Among screeners who scored at risk for a mental health condition, 50% reported that low self-esteem or self-image was one of the three main things contributing to their mental health problems. That was followed by relationship problems (38%) and loneliness or isolation (34%). This underscores the importance of listening to the lived experiences of those seeking help, so interventions can directly address the sources of distress that matter most to them.
“Screening data highlight timely insights from people who are struggling with their mental health and seeking accessible supports. Understanding the primary concerns from this population is a necessary step in structuring effective mental health programming to address the needs of those most at risk,” said Maddy Reinert, senior director of population health at Mental Health America. “For instance, supporting upstream programs that can increase social connection and belonging continue to be crucial, as time and time again, we see that loneliness, relationship problems, and self-esteem are reported as top contributors to poor mental health.”
Mental Health America is releasing these findings on the first day of Mental Health Month. Mental Health America founded Mental Health Month in 1949 and has led the effort every May to promote mental wellness nationwide. This annual campaign unites millions of people to promote awareness of mental health topics, share resources, and advocate for the well-being of all. This year’s theme, More Good Days, Together, aims to help people have more good days by meeting them where they are, supporting them as whole people, and understanding that “good” is defined by their unique experience and goals. To learn more about Mental Health Month, visit mhanational.org/may.
Read the full analysis of MHA’s 2025 screening data here. To see specific screening information from your locality, visit MHA’s County and State Data Map here.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
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About Mental Health America
Mental Health America (MHA) is the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to promoting the mental health and well-being of all people living in the U.S. With a network of MHA affiliates across the country, we work at both the national and local levels to advance this mission through public education, research, advocacy and public policy, and direct service. Our work is informed, designed, and led by the lived experience of those most affected. Learn more at MHAnational.org.
Rachel Evans Mental Health America 703-517-7124 media@mhanational.org