Mental health disorders are often accompanied by a sense of isolation. Many people who develop mental illnesses mistakenly believe that no one else could understand what they’re going through. Mental health statistics in Georgia demonstrate that these conditions are far from uncommon. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Georgia residents experience the symptoms of one or more mental health concerns.
If mental illness has impacted your life or the life of someone you care about, please know that you are not alone. It is also important to know that mental illnesses are treatable conditions. When you get the right type and level of care, you can achieve improved health.
Mental Health Disorder Statistics in Georgia
The following statistics about mental illness in Georgia are from the Georgia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Georgia):
- More than 1.4 million adults in the state of Georgia have developed a mental health disorder.
- In February 2021, more than 44% of adults in Georgia reported having symptoms of an anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder.
- More than 330,000 adults in Georgia have experienced symptoms that are severe enough to be considered a serious mental illness.
- Experts estimate that about 6% of homeless individuals in Georgia (or more than 1,600 people) have a serious mental illness.
Thankfully, public understanding of mental illness has improved over the past few decades, and stigma related to mental health treatment has decreased. But many people continue to believe inaccurate information about mental illness.
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns are not character flaws. They are serious, but treatable, health disorders. Anyone who develops any type of mental health disorder can experience improved quality of life if they receive effective professional care.
Substance Use & Addiction Statistics in Georgia
Untreated mental illnesses can increase a person’s risk for substance abuse and addiction.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has reported the following statistics about substance use and addiction in Georgia. These statistics are annual averages from 2017-2019 among Georgia residents ages 12 and older:
- About 361,000 people had alcohol use disorder, which is the clinical term for alcohol addiction. This represented about 4.2% of the population in this age group. During the same two years, the national annual average of alcoholism among people ages 12 and older was 5.3%.
- About 501,000 people in Georgia had a substance use disorder, which is the general clinical term for addiction. This number represented about 5.8% of the population. It was lower than the national annual average, which was 7.4% during the same time period.
- About 42,000 people (or about 0.5% of the people in this demographic group) had an opioid use disorder, which is the clinical term for opioid addiction. The national average for the same demographic group over the same two years was 0.7%.
The good news in these substance abuse and addiction statistics is that rates of drug addiction, alcoholism, and opioid addiction in Georgia were lower than they were in the nation as a whole. The bad news, of course, is that many people in Georgia continue to struggle with substance abuse and addiction.
Suicide Statistics in Georgia
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are not mental health disorders, but they can be symptoms of various mental illnesses. The following statistics about suicide in Georgia are from SAMHSA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- From 2008-2010, research indicated that about 2.1% of adults in Georgia had experienced serious thoughts of suicide in the previous 12 months.
- From 2017-2019, the annual average of adult Georgians who had serious suicidal thoughts rose to 3.8%.
- From 2007-2017, the annual rate of death by suicide in Georgia rose from 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 13.6. During that same period, the national rate rose from 11.3 to 14.0.
- In 2020, there were 1,491 deaths by suicide in Georgia. This works out to 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or if you believe that someone you know is in imminent danger of death by suicide, please seek immediate professional help. Contact an emergency responder in your area or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Behavioral Health Treatment Statistics in Georgia
The term behavioral health can encompass both mental health and addiction. The following statistics about treatment in Georgia were collected by SAMHSA and NAMI Georgia:
- Among the thousands of Georgians who reported symptoms of depression or anxiety in February 2021, about 29.4% said they were unable to get therapy or counseling.
- Among adolescents and teens in Georgia who had depression, only 31.6% said they received any type of treatment in the previous 12 months. This means that 68.4% of people in this group did not get any professional help for depression during this period.
- Of all the adults in Georgia who needed, but didn’t get, mental health treatment, 45.4% said the cost of care prevented them from getting the help they needed.
- In 2017, there were an average of 25,466 people in addiction treatment programs each day in Georgia. In 2019, the daily average of addiction treatment clients was 23,465. This represents a decrease of about 8%.
Remember: Mental and behavioral health disorders are treatable conditions. When people get help that aligns with their specific needs, their lives can get much better.
Find Mental Health Treatment in Atlanta
Peachtree Wellness Solutions offers an array of personalized services for people whose lives have been impacted by anxiety, depression, and a host of additional mental health disorders. When you choose our center in Atlanta, you will receive customized care from a team of dedicated experts in a safe and welcoming environment. Contact us today to learn about our admissions process and how Peachtree Wellness Solutions can help you or someone you care about.
