Dear America—how are you, really?

A look into mental health in the United States of America during the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Estimates of Mental Health Care in the U.S. Between August 2020 and October 2021

Ever since it began gaining traction in the United States in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many losses. Many Americans lost jobs, freedom, and loved ones. Throughout these difficult times, it has been difficult for Americans to protect not only their physical health but also their mental health and the pandemic has definitely taken its toll on America's mental health.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of Americans who received counseling or therapy in August 2020 was 8.7%. Most recent data from October 2021 shows that that number has risen by almost two percent and is now 10.5%. Some Americans expressed that they felt a need for counseling or therapy but could not receive it. This number rose from 9.2% in August 2020 to 11% in October 2021.

Explore the charts and tables below to see how the pandemic reflected on the mental health care of America by age groups, gender, race, and states.

Mental Health Care Averages by Group

State Averages for Mental Health Care Between August 2020 and October 2021