When 82.8 million people in the United States were using mental health apps and teletherapy in 2023, it raised a simple question for Ems Mental Health teams. How do those modern access points line up against the reality that 7.8% of U.S. adults still experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2021 and that digital support often has to battle a much larger unmet need.
Key Takeaways
- 7.8% of U.S. adults experienced at least one major depressive episode in 2021 (share of adults affected).
- In 2020, 22.1 million U.S. adults had a substance use disorder related to mental health comorbidity (count of adults).
- In 2021, the average time to first response in mental health crisis text/chat services was 2.7 minutes (operational metric).
- In 2023, teletherapy/mental health apps reached 82.8 million users in the United States (user volume).
- In 2023, 56% of U.S. adults reported using digital tools (apps, websites, or telehealth) related to mental health (adoption share).
- 5.8% of youth aged 3–17 in the United States had any mental disorder in 2016–2019 (share of youth).
- 7.2% of youth aged 6–17 had a behavioral or emotional difficulty in 2018–2019 (share of youth).
- In 2019, the U.S. had 1 psychiatrist per 10,000 population (supply rate).
- In 2023, the global mental health app market reached $1.9 billion (market size).
- In 2022, the WHO estimated that about 970 million people worldwide have a mental disorder (global prevalence estimate).
- In 2019, depression alone accounted for 40.5 million years lived with disability worldwide (YLD).
- In 2019, U.S. indirect costs of mental disorders (lost work) were estimated at $1.4 trillion (global burden cost estimate).
- $12.1 billion U.S. hospital operating costs were associated with mental health conditions in 2019 (cost amount).
- A 2022 cost-of-illness analysis estimated that mental disorders accounted for 2.5% of global GDP (share of GDP).
- 11.6% of U.S. adults reported experiencing symptoms of depression in 2022 (share of adults).
Millions face mental illness worldwide, while faster digital and telehealth access is expanding treatment options.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Burden2 stats
Interpretation
Prevalence & Burden Interpretation
Under the Prevalence and Burden category, 7.8% of U.S. adults reported a major depressive episode in 2021 while 22.1 million adults in 2020 lived with a substance use disorder tied to mental health comorbidity, underscoring a large and persistent mental health burden across conditions.
02 · Category
Telehealth & Digital8 stats
01
In 2021, the average time to first response in mental health crisis text/chat services was 2.7 minutes (operational metric).[2]
02
In 2023, teletherapy/mental health apps reached 82.8 million users in the United States (user volume).[3]
03
In 2023, 56% of U.S. adults reported using digital tools (apps, websites, or telehealth) related to mental health (adoption share).[4]
04
In 2020, 40% of outpatient behavioral health visits were delivered via telehealth in the United States (share of visits).[5]
05
In 2023, 65% of mental health digital therapeutics (DTx) deployments were for depression/anxiety conditions (deployment mix share).[6]
06
In 2023, the U.S. behavioral health telehealth market was estimated at $6.8 billion (market estimate).[7]
07
In 2023, 78% of surveyed digital mental health startups reported using AI-supported triage or symptom assessment (use share).[8]
08
In 2024, the U.K. NHS reported that 1.2 million people used digital mental health services (user count).[9]
Interpretation
Telehealth & Digital Interpretation
Across Telehealth & Digital channels, adoption is accelerating fast, with 56% of U.S. adults using mental health digital tools in 2023 and the U.S. teletherapy ecosystem reaching 82.8 million app users that same year.
03 · Category
Access & Barriers3 stats
Interpretation
Access & Barriers Interpretation
With only 1 psychiatrist per 10,000 people and just 5.8% to 7.2% of youth reporting mental or behavioral and emotional difficulties in recent years, the Access and Barriers gap is likely limiting help for far more young people than those who can access care.
04 · Category
Market Size4 stats
01
In 2023, the global mental health app market reached $1.9 billion (market size).[11]
02
In 2022, the WHO estimated that about 970 million people worldwide have a mental disorder (global prevalence estimate).[12]
03
In 2019, depression alone accounted for 40.5 million years lived with disability worldwide (YLD).[13]
04
1,320 mental health deals were announced in 2023 (deal count).[14]
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In 2023 the global mental health app market hit $1.9 billion while 1,320 mental health deals were announced, signaling that the market size is not only growing but also drawing major investment activity.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
In 2019, U.S. indirect costs of mental disorders (lost work) were estimated at $1.4 trillion (global burden cost estimate).[5]
02
$12.1 billion U.S. hospital operating costs were associated with mental health conditions in 2019 (cost amount).[15]
03
A 2022 cost-of-illness analysis estimated that mental disorders accounted for 2.5% of global GDP (share of GDP).[15]
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, mental disorders impose an enormous and wide-ranging economic burden, with global indirect lost-work costs reaching $1.4 trillion in 2019, U.S. hospital operating costs totaling $12.1 billion that same year, and the 2022 estimate placing mental disorders at 2.5% of global GDP.
More related reading
06 · Category
Prevalence3 stats
01
11.6% of U.S. adults reported experiencing symptoms of depression in 2022 (share of adults).[1]
02
7.1% of adults in the 21-country 2020 cross-sectional survey reported moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms (share of adults).[16]
03
In a 2023 OECD analysis, mental disorders accounted for 14% of years of life lived with disability (YLD) in OECD countries (share of YLD).[17]
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
Under the Prevalence angle, mental health burdens are widespread, with 11.6% of U.S. adults reporting depression symptoms in 2022 and 7.1% reporting moderate-to-severe anxiety in a 2020 multi-country survey, and OECD data shows this translates into a substantial 14% of disability in terms of YLD.
07 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
For the user adoption category, telehealth is widely seen as helpful with 83% of U.S. adults believing it can support mental health in 2023, yet only 20% reported ever using a mental health app in 2021, suggesting demand for access is higher than actual app usage.
08 · Category
Industry Trends1 stats
01
57% of therapists reported using telemental health in 2020 in the U.S. (share of therapists).[15]
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
As part of the industry trends in mental health, 57% of U.S. therapists were already using telemental health in 2020, signaling a rapid shift toward remote care as a mainstream practice.
09 · Category
Performance Metrics1 stats
01
68% of studies in a 2021 systematic review found telemental health interventions had positive effects on mental health outcomes (share of included studies).[15]
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Performance Metrics show that in a 2021 systematic review, 68% of included studies reported telemental health interventions improving mental health outcomes, indicating a strong overall positive trend in effectiveness.
10 · Category
Access & Coverage1 stats
01
4.1% of U.S. adults reported receiving any mental health treatment in the prior year but still having unmet need in 2021 (share).[15]
Interpretation
Access & Coverage Interpretation
In 2021, 4.1% of U.S. adults who did receive mental health treatment still reported unmet need, underscoring that access and coverage gaps remain even among people who are already receiving care.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Ems Mental Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ems-mental-health-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Ems Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/ems-mental-health-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Ems Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/ems-mental-health-statistics.
Sources & references
19 sources cited across this report