Serious Mental Health Challenges among Older Adolescents and Young Adults

In the United States, the transition into adulthood begins in the late teens and continues through the mid-20s. This can be a stressful process be more difficult if young adults have a mental disorder (e.g., schizophrenia or bipolar disorder) or substance use disorder (SUD). This report uses combined data from the 2010 to 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The NSDUH asks persons aged 12 to 17 about past year psychological symptoms to estimate if they had a Major Depressive Episode (MDE) in the past year. Adolescents were assessed as having MDE if they had a period of 2 weeks or longer during which there was either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-worth. Data are presented separately for adolescents aged 16 to 17 and young adults aged 18 to 25. Combined 2010 to 2012 NSDUH data indicate that 1 in 10 older adolescents aged 16 to 17 had a MDE in the past year, while 18.7% young adults aged 18 to 25 had any mental illness (AMI) in the past year and 3.9% had a serious mental illness (SMI). In the past year, 3.1% of older adolescents had co-occurring MDE and SUD; 6.4% of young adults had co-occurring AMI and SUD, and 1.6% of young adults had co-occurring SMI and SUD. Among older adolescents with MDE, 60.1% did not receive treatment for depression in the past year. Among young adults with AMI, 66.6% did not receive mental health services in the past year. Among young adults with SMI, 47.0% did not receive treatment. The data in this report indicate that older adolescents with MDE are less likely than their peers without MDE to have the foundation needed to succeed as young adults. For example, compared with their peers without MDE, these youth were more likely to do poorly in school and to engage in delinquent behaviors. NSDUH data indicate that young adults with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and SUD have poorer quality of life.