The
RIPPLE EFFECT of Mental Illness
Having a mental illness can make it challenging to live everyday life and
maintain recovery. Let’s look at some of the ways mental illness can
impact lives — and how the impact can ripple out.
People with serious Rates of cardiometabolic
mental illness have an disease are twice
increased risk for as high in adults
chronic disease, like with serious
diabetes or cancer 19% of U.S. adults with mental illness
mental illness also have a
substance use disorder
At least 8.4 million
Americans provide
care to an adult with
an emotional or
mental illness Caregivers spend an
average of 32 hours
per week providing
unpaid care
1 in 8 of all visits to
20% of people U.S. emergency
experiencing departments are
homelessness also related to mental and
have a serious 37% of people 70% of youth in the
incarcerated in juvenile justice substance use
mental illness disorders
state and federal system have at least
prison have a one mental health
diagnosed mental condition
condition
Depression and anxiety
disorders cost the
global economy
Depression is the $1 trillion each year in
leading cause of lost productivity
disability worldwide
Data from CDC, NIMH and other select sources. Find citations for this resource at nami.org/mhstats
