NAMI On Campus

College is an exciting time. From being away from home and finding independence to meeting new people and trying new things, every day brings new experiences. There is also a new level of academic responsibility. Classes are harder and there is always a due date on the horizon. Balancing all of the changes that happen in college can be stressful and challenging.

About NAMI

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness and is a grassroots organization that is “building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.” NAMI on Campus is a student run organization that extends the NAMI mission to college campuses through events, advocacy, and education.

NAMI on Campus organizations are open to all students, whether they live with a mental health condition, are a family member or friend, or have an interest in mental health. These nationwide organizations tackle mental health issues on campus by:

  • Raising mental health awareness
  • Educating the campus community
  • Supporting and connecting students
  • Promoting services and supports
  • Advocating

Challenges are even more difficult for the 1 in 5 students who also face a mental health condition.  Nearly three-quarters of mental health conditions emerge by age 24, so many college students are facing mental health concerns for the first time, and may not know where to go for support. 

Mental Illness in Multicultural Communities

Millions of Americans are affected by mental health conditions every year. Here are some facts about the prevalence and impact of mental illness.

This document cites statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, New Evidence Regarding Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health and Injustice at every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.

Prevalence Of Mental Illness Statistics

  • Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 18.5%—experiences mental illness in a given year.
  • Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the U.S.—9.8 million, or 4.0%—experiences a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.
  • Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.
  • 1.1% of adults in the U.S. live with schizophrenia.
  • 2.6% of adults in the U.S. live with bipolar disorder.
  • 6.9% of adults in the U.S.—16 million—had at least one major depressive episode in the past year.
  • 18.1% of adults in the U.S. experienced an anxiety disorder such as posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and specific phobias.
  • Among the 20.2 million adults in the U.S. who experienced a substance use disorder, 50.5%—10.2 million adults—had a co-occurring mental illness.

Social Statistics

  • An estimated 26% of homeless adults staying in shelters live with serious mental illness and an estimated 46% live with severe mental illness and/or substance use disorders.
  • Approximately 20% of state prisoners and 21% of local jail prisoners have “a recent history” of a mental health condition.
  • 70% of youth in juvenile justice systems have at least one mental health condition and at least 20% live with a serious mental illness.
  • Only 41% of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year. Among adults with a serious mental illness, 62.9% received mental health services in the past year.
  • Just over half (50.6%) of children aged 8-15 received mental health services in the previous year.
  • African Americans and Hispanic Americans each use mental health services at about one-half the rate of Caucasian Americans and Asian Americans at about one-third the rate.
  • Half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14; three-quarters by age 24. Despite effective treatment, there are long delays—sometimes decades—between the first appearance of symptoms and when people get help.