Major depressive episode in the past year among U.S. adults by age and gender 2022

In 2022, some 8.8 percent of adults in the United States reported experiencing a major depressive episode in the past year. However, among those aged 18 to 25 years, almost 20 percent reported a major depressive episode. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States and in severe cases can seriously affect one’s ability to function.

Depression among men and women

Although depression can affect anyone, women are more likely to report experiencing a major depressive episode than men. In 2021, around 10 percent of women in the United States stated they had a major depressive episode in the past year, compared to six percent of men. Women aged 18 to 20 were the most likely to suffer from a major depressive episode with up to 27 percent reporting such an episode in 2021. In comparison, just 12 percent of men aged 18 to 20 said they had a major depressive episode at that time. Among men, those aged 21 to 25 had the highest prevalence of major depression.

Treatment for depression

Fortunately, depression is treatable, and the vast majority of people who receive treatment benefit from it. Depression is most commonly treated with medication, talk therapy, or a combination of both. In 2021, around 11.5 million people in the United States received treatment for a major depressive episode. The most common type of professionals seen for such treatment were general practitioners or family doctors and psychiatrists or psychotherapists. Among U.S. youths who are treated for a major depressive disorder, very few are treated using only prescription medication. Instead, it is much more common for youth to see or talk to a health professional only, or to see a health professional and use prescription medication.