Mental Health: 20% Are Currently on Medication

Nearly a quarter of Americans have been diagnosed with mental health problems, and one-in-five are currently taking prescription medication for psychiatric conditions.

.A new national telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and the Great America Show finds that 23% of American Adults say a doctor has diagnosed them with a mental health condition at some point, while 72% have not had a diagnosis of mental illness. (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 2,373 American Adults was conducted on May 27-June 3, 2025 by Rasmussen Reports the Great America Show. The margin of sampling error is +/- 2 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Twenty percent (20%) say that, in the past year, they have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist. Among those who’ve gotten counseling or treatment in the past year, 68% are currently taking one or more prescription drugs for a mental health problem.

Younger Americans are much more likely than their elders to report mental health issues. For example, 29% of adults under 40  have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist in the past year, compared to 18% of those ages 40-64 and just three percent (3%) of Americans 65 and older. 

More women (26%) than men (20%) say that a doctor has diagnosed them with a mental health condition, and more than a third (35%) of women under 40 have had such a diagnosis. Thirty-one percent (31%) of women under 40 have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist in the past year.

Liberals are more likely than conservatives or moderates to say they’ve had mental health issues. For example, within the past year, 28% of liberals have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist, compared to 18% of conservatives and 17% of moderates. 

This is especially true of liberal women, 34% of whom say a doctor has diagnosed them with a mental health condition, and 29% of whom are currently taking one or more prescription drugs for a mental health problem.

Forty-three percent (43%) of liberals under 40 say a doctor has diagnosed them with a mental health condition.

Twenty-six percent (26%) of whites, 17% of blacks, 20% of Hispanics and 11% of other minorities say a doctor has diagnosed them with a mental health condition. Hispanics are most likely to have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist in the past year.

Unmarried adults are more likely than their married peers to report having mental health problems. Those with children at home report more mental health issues than to their childless peers.

Government employees (30%) are more likely than private sector workers (17%) or retirees (7%) to have sought counseling or mental health treatment from a therapist in the past year.

Amid reports that the dating scene has turned toxic, more than a third of young singles say they’re not interested right now. 

Summer’s here, and about half of Americans say they’re planning on a vacation.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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