Mental health – our emotion, psychological and social well-being – affects how we think, feel and act, how we handle stress and relate to others, and how we make lifestyle choices. Mental health at every stage of life, from childhood through adulthood, is important.
How common are mental illnesses?
Study after study shows the growth in mental illness diagnoses. Depression, suicidal ideation and substance use disorders are all on the rise, as are disparities in treatment and insurance coverage, according to a 2022 report from Mental Health America. And in New Jersey, 42 percent of adults who responded to the Census Bureau’s 2021 Household Pulse Survey reported having anxiety or depression symptoms, compared with 40 percent nationally.
NJHA has examined trends in mental health incidence, with a particular focus on the pandemic period. Among its findings:
- From April through December 2020, the proportion of those under 18 years presenting to New Jersey emergency departments with a diagnosis for depressive disorders increased by approximately 84 percent compared to the same period in 2019 (1.37% to 2.53%), while anxiety among this age group increased more than 74 percent (1.22% to 2.12%).
- The ED claims data also shows a pronounced increase in drug and substance abuse diagnoses. For all age groups combined, the proportion of drug/substance use diagnoses increased approximately 29 percent from 2019 to 2020, from 5.2 percent to 6.8 percent.
- Hospital claims data for both ED visits and inpatient admissions for youth ages 12 to 17 from 2017 through 2021 showed increases in depression, self-harm, anxiety and eating disorders.
Additional findings are presented in the following bulletins from NJHA’s Center for Health Analytics, Research and Transformation:
Designed for laypersons and community organizations, these resources help identify and respond to signs of mental health challenges to support military, veterans and their families. Visit our Veterans page.
