Report: 1 in 5 Adults Had Mental Illness in 2010

A new federal report estimates that 20% of American adults -- more than 45 million people -- had some form of mental illness in 2010.

The annual survey, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), shows a very slight increase in rates of mental illness compared to those reported in the 2009 survey. Overall, according to the latest survey, the numbers have remained steady.

“Today’s report issued by SAMHSA provides further evidence that we need to continue efforts to monitor levels of mental illness in the United States in order to effectively prevent this important public health problem and its negative impact on total health,” Ileana Arias, PhD, principal deputy director of the CDC, says in a news release accompanying the report.