Americans are feeling worse about their mental health than at any point in the past two decades, according to new Gallup research.
For the first time on record, fewer than 30% of U.S. adults rate their mental health as “excellent,” a sharp drop from 43% just six years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest West Health-Gallup survey found that 29% of adults now describe their mental health as excellent, while 43% say it is good. Together, 72% rate their mental health positively, a new low in Gallup’s tracking.
Researchers point to the pandemic as a turning point. From 2001 through 2019, at least 42% of Americans consistently rated their mental health as excellent. That figure fell to 34% in 2020 and has continued to decline since.
The drop spans every major demographic group, but younger adults show the steepest declines. Over the past six years, excellent mental health ratings fell about 15 points among both Generation Z and millennials. Older generations saw smaller decreases.
College graduates also experienced a sharper decline than those without a degree, erasing a long-standing gap in which graduates reported better mental health.
As self-rated mental health has worsened, more Americans are seeking help. Nearly one in four adults say they visited a mental health professional in the past year, with younger adults far more likely to do so. Gen Z and millennial adults averaged more than four mental health visits annually, more than double the rate of older generations.
Physical health ratings, however, have remained relatively stable. About one-quarter of Americans rate their physical health as excellent, a modest decline compared to the sharper mental health drop.
Routine medical care has also held steady. Roughly three-quarters of adults report having a routine checkup in the past year, and trust in doctors’ advice remains similar to levels seen in the early 2000s, though younger adults express more skepticism.
Gallup researchers say the findings reflect a lasting shift in how Americans experience and talk about mental health. Younger adults, in particular, came of age during the pandemic and in a time when mental health struggles are more openly acknowledged, which may influence both how they feel and how willing they are to report it.
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