Mental health in America has reached its lowest self-rated point in more than two decades, according to new Gallup data released in December 2025. For the first time since tracking began in 2001, fewer than 3 in 10 adults describe their mental health in America as “excellent.” Just 29% now give themselves that top rating, down sharply from the pre‑pandemic years when at least 42% consistently reported excellent mental health in America.
The decline in mental health in America has not been limited to one age group or demographic. When Gallup compared the six years before the pandemic (2014–2019) to the six years since (2020–2025), every major group reported worse mental health in America, but younger adults and college graduates showed the steepest drops. College graduates’ “excellent” ratings fell 17 points, erasing the historical advantage they once had over non‑graduates. Men and women, and Black and White Americans, all saw sizable declines in mental health in America, while Hispanic adults showed somewhat smaller, but still concerning, drops.
Yet the story of mental health in America is not only about decline—it is also about more people reaching for support. A record 24% of adults say they visited a mental health professional in the past year, more than double the rate reported in the early 2000s, and the average number of visits per adult has nearly tripled. That suggests a growing willingness to talk about mental health in America and to treat counseling as ordinary healthcare rather than a last resort.
Experts say the worsening mental health in America reflects the lingering fallout of the pandemic, economic strain, social division, and loneliness. At the same time, they highlight the importance of connection—friends, family, community spaces, and workplaces that normalize asking for help—as a critical buffer for mental health in America. As the country processes another difficult year, advocates urge leaders to match this new openness with affordable, accessible services so that every person who reaches out for help with mental health in America finds someone on the other side.
Source: Gallup – U.S. Mental Health Ratings Continue to Worsen
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