Lessons from Mental Health America screening
Trends and key findings from MHA’s 2025 mental health data
“I’m trying to find out if this is something I need to be concerned about. I’ve avoided the fact that this could be an option for me because I thought I wasn’t ‘severe enough’ but it turns out…I just might be. I need to know.”
– Anonymous depression screener
About MHA screening
In 2014, Mental Health America (MHA) created the Online Screening Program (www.mhascreening.org) to help people explore their mental health and connect with personalized information and resources. In 2025, the program offered a collection of 14 free, anonymous, confidential, and clinically validated screens that are among the most commonly used mental health screening tools in clinical settings. Since its launch, over 32 million people have taken a screen to check their mental health concerns online, making this program the nation’s largest ongoing, real-time mental health early identification program.
As the top search result for “mental health test” on search engines such as Google and Bing, MHA’s screening program has helped address unmet needs and bridge gaps in communities that are most vulnerable to mental health conditions. MHA screening data continues to provide real-time insights from screeners who have yet to access, or face barriers to accessing, traditional health care systems. In a time when the future of national mental health data collection is uncertain, the MHA Screening program can provide data to help us understand mental health trends among people seeking help in the U.S.
This report is an analysis of responses from the 1,136,058 screens taken by those who self-reported living in the U.S. in 2025.
Key findings from 2025 screening data
- MHA screeners were younger in 2025 than in 2024. 44% of screeners in 2025 were youth under 18, a 2% increase from 2024.
- On average, 79% of people who took a screen 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.
- The percentage of people reporting frequent suicidal ideation on the depression screen increased across all age groups from 2024 to 2025. 40% of people who took the depression screen in 2025 reported frequent thoughts of suicide.
- In 2025, over half (51%, N=97,229) of all youth under 18 who took the depression screen reported frequent suicidal ideation, compared to 48% of youth in 2024. This is the highest rate of youth suicidal ideation reported since MHA began measurement in 2014.
- Rates of frequent suicidal ideation also decreased as age increased. Though fewer people ages 8-10 take screens than older adolescents, those in the 8-10 age group reported the highest rates of frequent suicidal ideation on the depression screen (62%, N=4,194). That was followed by screeners ages 11-13 (57%, N=42,923).
- Rates of frequent suicidal ideation reported in 2025 increased 6% for American Indian or Alaska Native screeners, 5% for screeners who identified their race/ethnicity as other, and 4% among Asian screeners when compared to 2024.
- 56% of LGBTQ+ screeners and 57% of transgender screeners who took the depression screen reported frequent suicidal ideation in 2025, compared to 39% of non-LGBTQ+ screeners.
- Screeners under age 18 have shown a fervent interest in screening for behavioral addiction concerns. Of people who took a behavioral addiction screen, 40% were most concerned with excessive internet use, including social media, videos, and doomscrolling.
- 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%).
Demographics of MHA screeners
The average MHA screener is a young female student who has never received treatment for a mental health condition.
Unlike other data sets, the MHA screening population is help-seeking, meaning it is largely representative of populations that are most likely to seek help for mental health conditions (young, female, high-risk groups, for example). Otherwise, MHA screening demographics align with U.S. Census data for race, income, and geographical representation.
Age
Forty-four percent of people who took screens in 2025 were under 18, a 2% increase from 2024 (42%). Users under 25 made up over two-thirds of all screens for 2024 (64%) and 2025 (65%).
Age range | Percent | Count |
|---|---|---|
| 8-10 | 1.36% | 14,585 |
| 11-13 | 16.79% | 179,675 |
| 14-15 | 15.28% | 163,536 |
| 16-17 | 10.96% | 117,360 |
| 18-24 | 20.75% | 222,151 |
| 25-34 | 15.62% | 167,163 |
| 35-44 | 9.63% | 103,068 |
| 45-54 | 5.30% | 56,773 |
| 55-64 | 2.82% | 30,217 |
| 65+ | 1.49% | 15,901 |
Race / Ethnicity
In 2025, most screeners identified as white (56%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14%), and Black or African American (9%). The race/ethnicity demographics of U.S. screeners in 2025 were consistent with those from 2024.
Race/Ethnicity | Percent | Count |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 2.59% | 27,537 |
| Asian | 7.65% | 81,272 |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 9.10% | 96,618 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.85% | 147,092 |
| Middle Eastern or North African | 0.96% | 10,143 |
| More than one of the above | 6.19% | 65,713 |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 4,903 |
| Other | 3.31% | 35,195 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 55.89% | 593,527 |
Gender
Sixty-six percent of screeners in 2025 identified as female, 31% as male, and 3% as non-binary. Five percent (N=59,943) of screeners identified as transgender. Gender demographics of MHA screeners were consistent between 2025 and 2024.
Household income
In 2025, 35% of screeners reported a household income of less than $40,000, and 28% of screeners in the U.S. reported a household income of $100,000 or greater. This is consistent with the household incomes reported in 2024.
Household income | Percent | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $20,000 | 20.33% | 154,351 |
| $20,000 - $39,999 | 15.01% | 113,959 |
| $40,000 - $59,999 | 14.30% | 108,617 |
| $60,000 - $79,999 | 12.05% | 91,503 |
| $80,000 - $99,999 | 9.92% | 75,352 |
| $100,000 - $149,999 | 14.00% | 106,305 |
| $150,000+ | 14.39% | 109,312 |
Other populations
MHA asks screeners: “Which of the following populations describes you? Check all that apply.” Overwhelmingly, 71% of responses (N=576,042) included students, followed by LGBTQ+ (27%, N=223,907), and trauma survivors (26%, N=213,534).
We also invited trauma survivors to elaborate more on their experiences with trauma. Over 55% of responses reported family conflict as a source of trauma. This was followed closely by child abuse/violence (52%) and sexual assault/violence (49%).
User engagement with mental health screens
Across all screening tests, 79% (N=892,095) of users in the U.S. scored at risk for a mental health condition in 2025. This was only slightly (0.34%) higher than the percentage of people who scored at risk for a mental health condition in 2024. Of those who scored at risk, 56% had never received treatment for a mental health condition before in both 2024 and 2025.
Generally, the percentage of people who have previously received mental health treatment increases with age. Among the 18-24 age group, nearly 50% of people who took a screen in 2025 reported having received mental health treatment before, but are still seeking help for their mental health online through MHA Screening. This indicates that there is a significant proportion of the population that has received treatment but may no longer be able to access it or may be interested in other types of support outside traditional mental health care.
One in five (20%) screeners who scored at risk for a mental health condition reported that they did not have health insurance in 2025.
Risk of mental health conditions
The percentage of people scoring at risk for emotional or behavioral difficulties on the youth mental health screen decreased by 5% from 2024 to 2025. Similarly, the percentage of people scoring at risk for anxiety decreased by 4% from 2024 to 2025. The percentage of people scoring at risk for postpartum depression increased 2% between 2024 and 2025. The percentage of people scoring at risk remained relatively stable for all other screening tools.
| Screen | Percent of people taking screen | Percentage scoring at risk 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Depression | 32.13% | 83.90% (N=306,247) |
| ADHD | 23.78% | 81.07% (N=219,038) |
| Anxiety | 13.15% | 75.11% (N=112,171) |
| Bipolar | 10.86% | 48.27% (N=59,576) |
| Psychosis | 4.69% | 80.05% (N=42,655) |
| PTSD | 3.68% | 88.90% (N=37,145) |
| Eating disorder | 3.38% | 91.55% (N=35,174) |
| Youth | 3.08% | 72.69% (N=25,471) |
| Addiction* | 1.05% | 89.00% (N=10,667) |
| Parent | 0.70% | 72.20% (N=5,728) |
| Postpartum depression | 0.55% | 74.29% (N=4,661) |
| New screening tools | ||
| Obsessive compulsive disorder | 2.79% | 93.46% (N=29,665) Screening tool published 8/15/2025 |
| Social anxiety screen | 0.10% | 86.00% (N=1,020) Screening tool published 12/5/2025 |
* In August 2024, MHA expanded its addiction screening tools to include the Alcohol Symptom Checklist (ASC), Substance Use Symptom Checklist (SUSC), and an experimental Behavioral Addiction Symptom Checklist (BASC). The SUSC/ASC/BASC is a more sensitive screening tool capturing earlier stages of addiction and therefore the percentage of people scoring at risk is higher than the percentage scoring at risk on the CAGE-AID in 2024. MHA will continue to monitor trends in Addiction moving forward.
“Everyone thinks I’m happy and carefree and it doesn’t feel like I have the option to be sad, but I don’t want to reach out because I don’t know if it’s real, and I’m worried that I’m doing this for attention.”
– Anonymous depression screener
Suicide and self-harm trends
MHA uses the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) tool to screen for depression. In 2025, 365,019 people in the U.S. took a depression screen. Suicidal/self-harm thinking, especially among young people, remains an epidemic. Since June 2020, MHA has seen a steady increase in the rate of frequent suicidal ideation, defined as thoughts of suicide more than half the week or nearly every day on PHQ-9 item #9. Overall, 40% (N=147,716) of individuals in the U.S. who took the PHQ-9 screen for depression reported frequent suicidal ideation in 2024. This was a 3% higher rate than 2024 (37%; N=196,364).
Suicidal ideation
The rate of suicidal ideation increased across all age groups from 2024 to 2025, with the largest increases among youth. In 2025, over half (51%, N=97,229) of all youth depression screeners under 18 reported frequent suicidal ideation, compared to 48% of youth in 2024. This is the highest rate of youth suicidal ideation reported since MHA began measurement in 2014.
Prior to that increase, youth suicidal ideation had shown promising decreases following high rates in 2020 and 2021. This was consistent with federal datasets. Data from SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed the percentage of youth reporting suicidal ideation decreased from 13% in 2021 to 10% in 2024. This increase in the 2025 MHA Screening data may be an early signal of rebounding rates of suicidal ideation among youth in the U.S. that we will not capture in national data until future data releases.
The largest increase in suicidal ideation between 2024 and 2025 was among screeners aged 8–10. Though fewer people ages 8-10 take screens than older adolescents, those in the 8-10 age group reported the highest rates of frequent suicidal ideation on the depression screen (62%, N=4,194), a 6% increase from 2024. That was followed by screeners ages 11-13 (57%, N=42,923), a 3% increase from 2024.
Age range | Percentage reporting frequent suicidal ideation | Count reporting frequent suicidal ideation |
|---|---|---|
| 8–10 | 61.57% | 4,194 |
| 11–13 | 57.13% | 42,923 |
| 14–15 | 49.58% | 31,646 |
| 16–17 | 42.30% | 18,466 |
| 18–24 | 34.16% | 23,209 |
| 25–34 | 27.51% | 11,311 |
| 35–44 | 21.80% | 5,397 |
| 45–54 | 21.93% | 3,417 |
| 55–64 | 19.19% | 1,969 |
| 65+ | 17.64% | 1,205 |
Race/ethnicity data on suicide and self-harm
In 2025, the percentage of people reporting frequent thoughts of suicide or self-harm on the depression screening was highest among American Indian or Alaska Native screeners (54%). Although rates of depression were equal between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and white screeners, rates of suicidal ideation for BIPOC screeners were 8% higher than rates for white users. Additionally, rates of frequent suicidal ideation increased 6% for American Indian or Alaska Native screeners, 5% for screeners who identified their race/ethnicity as other, and 4% among Asian screeners when compared to 2024.
Rates of suicidal ideation by race/ethnicity:
American Indian or Alaska Native: 54.02%
Asian: 41.71%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic): 42.44%
Hispanic or Latino: 42.53%
Middle Eastern or North African: 43.78%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 45.10%
White (non-Hispanic): 36.86%
More than one of the above: 46.56%
Other: 51.58%
Suicidal thoughts among youth by race/ethnicity
Rates of suicidal ideation were also higher among Black, Indigenous, and youth of color than among white youth. Among youth of color, 54% (N=52,356) reported thoughts of suicide or self-harm more than half the days or nearly every day of the previous two weeks, compared to 48% (N=39,264) of white youth. The percentage of youth under 18 reporting frequent thoughts of suicide or self-harm was highest among those who identified their race as “other” (58%). Rates of frequent suicidal ideation also increased most among American Indian or Alaska Native and Asian youth, and youth who identified as “other” compared to 2024.
| Race / Ethnicity | 8–10 | 11–13 | 14–15 | 16–17 | Total (Youth ages 8–17) by race / ethnicity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 63.86% | 60.18% | 55.77% | 48.24% | 58.25% |
| Asian | 66.59% | 57.27% | 51.01% | 43.20% | 52.01% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 64.45% | 61.10% | 52.70% | 46.48% | 55.02% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 65.81% | 60.30% | 50.76% | 42.39% | 52.99% |
| More than one of the above | 63.70% | 58.00% | 51.95% | 45.63% | 53.16% |
| Other | 61.93% | 60.81% | 56.19% | 48.86% | 58.47% |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.51% | 53.85% | 46.91% | 40.08% | 47.86% |
“I feel like [I] wear a mask and I feel really numb. I can’t cry and can’t fully be myself in a homophobic household. I just don’t feel anything real in me anymore.”
– Anonymous screener who identified as LGBTQ+
Trends among LGBTQ+ populations
LGBTQ+ screeners were more likely to screen at risk for psychosis; postpartum depression; emotional, attentional, or behavioral difficulties; depression; and anxiety than non-LGBTQ+ screeners.
Screen | LGBTQ+ percent at risk | Non-LGBTQ+ percent at risk |
|---|---|---|
| ADHD | 87.61% | 81.67% |
| Alcohol or substance use | 93.13% | 88.77% |
| Anxiety | 83.48% | 74.55% |
| Bipolar | 54.20% | 47.95% |
| Depression | 91.84% | 83.36% |
| Eating disorder | 99.31% | 98.41% |
| OCD | 96.53% | 93.57% |
| Parent | 85.52% | 71.26% |
| Postpartum depression | 87.69% | 73.82% |
| Psychosis | 90.27% | 77.65% |
| PTSD | 92.39% | 89.14% |
| Youth | 86.33% | 68.04% |
Suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ screeners
The rate of frequent suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ screeners is significantly higher than that of non-LGBTQ+ screeners. Additionally, transgender screeners report even more alarming rates of ideation.
Percentage of screeners reporting frequent suicidal ideation in 2025
LGBTQ+: 55.58%
Transgender: 57.17%
Non-LGBTQ+: 39.48%
Suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ+ screeners by race/ethnicity
Rates of suicidal ideation were particularly high among people of color who identified as LGBTQ+, greatly exceeding suicidal ideation rates for white LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ populations. LGBTQ+ individuals who identified their race as American Indian or Alaska Native had the highest reported rates of suicidal ideation (68%), followed by LGBTQ+ individuals identifying as other race (67%) and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (60%).
Race / Ethnicity | LGBTQ+ | Non-LGBTQ+ |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 68.14% | 51.17% |
| Other | 66.52% | 49.77% |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 59.93% | 43.53% |
| Middle Eastern or North African | 57.51% | 43.75% |
| More than one of the above | 57.13% | 43.79% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 56.81% | 41.28% |
| Asian | 56.64% | 42.37% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 56.62% | 41.00% |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 52.60% | 35.55% |
“[I want to] find out if I need to quit or stop using a majority of them entirely…I feel like I’m a failure and depressed if I’m not high on something.”
– Anonymous addiction screener
Addiction trends
Since 2014, MHA has used the CAGE-AID tool to screen for alcohol and/or substance use disorders (SUD). In August 2024, MHA expanded its addiction screening tools to include the Alcohol Symptom Checklist (ASC), Substance Use Symptom Checklist (SUSC), and an experimental Behavioral Addiction Symptom Checklist (BASC). With the implementation of the ASC, SUSC, and BASC, MHA has been able to gain further insights into the addictions and behaviors users struggle with.
Generational differences
On the addiction screens, we ask the question: “Which of the following are you most concerned about?” to gather insights on which substances and behaviors are contributing to users’ mental health concerns. There is a clear generational divide between youth under 18, younger adults aged 18-44, and older adults (ages 55+). Youth screeners have shown a fervent interest in screening for behavioral addiction concerns. Screeners under 18 were most likely to struggle with behavioral addiction concerns (66%), while screeners aged 18-44 were most likely to struggle with drug use (49%), and older adults (aged 55+) were most likely to struggle with alcohol use (43%).
Behavioral addiction
Of people who took a behavioral addiction screen, 40% were most concerned with excessive internet use, including social media, videos, and doomscrolling. That was followed by concerns with masturbation (39%), pornography (39%), and self-injury (38%). These are behavioral concerns that largely aren’t addressed in a medical model and may require non-medical interventions. For example, to prevent excessive internet use and ensure healthy use of technology, governments, technology companies, and systems that interact with children must take action to increase safety.
For more information on mental health and technology, including specific recommendations for improving safeguards and education for digital literacy, access MHA’s Mental Health and Technology report here.
“I don’t experience active hate, but if I could click on all the options I would. Everything worries me. Life is too much.”
– Anonymous anxiety screener
Top concerns reported by screeners: Self-image, relationships, and loneliness
50% of screeners
struggle with low self-esteem or self-image
10% of screeners
are concerned about the state of the world
Youth were 18% more likely
to struggle with body image than adults
MHA asks all screeners, “Think about your mental health test. What are the main things contributing to your mental health problems right now? Choose up to three.” Among screeners who scored at risk for a mental health condition, low self-esteem or self-image was the top issue overall, with 50% of screeners selecting it as a main concern. That was followed by relationship problems (38%) and loneliness or isolation (34%). Scoring at risk for a condition indicates meeting a threshold for treatment intervention.
Think about your mental health test. What are the main things contributing to your mental health problems right now? | Percentage among individuals scoring at risk for a mental health condition |
|---|---|
| Low self-esteem or self-image | 50.45% |
| Relationship problems | 38.23% |
| Loneliness or isolation | 34.48% |
| Body image | 32.13% |
| School or work problems | 30.91% |
| I don't know (something just feels wrong) | 30.50% |
| Financial problems | 14.85% |
| Grief or loss of someone or something | 12.47% |
| State of the world (war, climate, politics, immigration) | 9.56% |
| Abuse or violence | 7.47% |
| Experiencing hate/bullying (including racism, homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination | 5.29% |
| Other | 4.66% |
Individuals who scored at risk for a mental health condition were more likely to report low self-esteem or self-image, body image, loneliness or isolation, relationship problems, abuse or violence, and experiencing hate/bullying as main concerns than those who did not score at risk for a mental health condition.
Individuals who did not score at risk for a mental health condition but nonetheless came to MHA’s website to explore mental health concerns were more likely to select “Other,” the state of the world, and financial problems as main concerns. This trend indicates the impact of sociopolitical climates on emotional well-being. Generally, users start to engage online long before they seek treatment, with symptoms worsening as soon as 30 days after taking a screen.
Top concerns among screeners who are at risk of a mental health condition, by age
Youth under age 18 were more likely than adults to report body image, school or work problems, experiencing hate/bullying, low self-esteem or self-image, and that they didn’t know what was wrong as main contributors to their mental health challenges. Adults were more likely to report financial problems, the state of the world, and grief or loss as their main concerns.
Think about your mental health test. What are the main things contributing to your mental health problems right now? | Percentage among adults (over 18) scoring at risk for a mental health condition | Percentage among youth (under 18) scoring at risk for a mental health condition |
|---|---|---|
| Low self-esteem or self-image | 47.54% | 53.56% |
| Body image | 23.36% | 41.51% |
| Relationship problems | 37.33% | 39.29% |
| School or work problems | 25.24% | 37.01% |
| Loneliness or isolation | 34.76% | 34.17% |
| I don't know (something just feels wrong) | 28.83% | 32.25% |
| Grief or loss of someone or something | 14.72% | 10.08% |
| Experiencing hate/bullying (including racism, homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination) | 1.98% | 8.79% |
| Abuse or violence | 6.98% | 8.03% |
| State of the world (war, climate, politics, immigration) | 13.03% | 5.78% |
| Other | 4.80% | 4.48% |
| Financial problems | 26.84% | 2.15% |
Top concerns among screeners who are at risk of a mental health condition, by race/ethnicity
Among the screeners who scored at risk for a mental health condition and reported their race/ethnicity in 2025:
- American Indian or Alaska Native screeners were more likely than any other racial/ethnic group to select body image (42%), grief or loss (15%), abuse or violence (12%), and experiencing hate/bullying (racism, homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination) (10%).
- Black or African American screeners were most likely to select financial problems (20%).
- Asian screeners were most likely to select low self-esteem or self-image (52%), school or work problems (42%) and loneliness or isolation (36%).
- Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander screeners were more likely to select relationship problems (43%) than any other race/ethnicity.
- Middle Eastern or North African screeners were most likely to select I don’t know (something just feels wrong) (33%).
- White screeners were more likely to select the state of the world (war, climate, politics, immigration) (11%) than any other race/ethnicity.