Mental health struggles are more common than many people realize, and experts say one of the most important steps toward healing is simply asking for help.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and there is a growing effort to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and treatment.
“Whoever you’re speaking up to, they may get it more than you realize,” said Dr. Will Novey, psychiatrist and medical director for psychiatric services for Intermountain Health.
According to Novey, mental illness impacts millions of Americans across every age group.
“One in five adults struggle with mental illness,” he said.
The numbers are even higher for younger Americans. More than one in three adults ages 18 to 25 report experiencing mental illness, according to national data referenced in the report. Rates decrease among older generations, particularly among adults over 50.
That reality means many people already know someone who has experienced anxiety, depression, addiction or another mental health condition — even if they have not talked openly about it.
“The other thing I tell patients is you don’t have to have the perfect words to describe what you’re going through,” Novey said. “It can be as simple as, ‘I’m not feeling like myself. I need help.’”
Mental health resources are becoming more accessible across Utah and throughout the country. Experts encourage anyone in crisis, or helping someone who is struggling, to contact 988, the national suicide and crisis lifeline.
Novey also works inside the Behavioral Health Access Center, which functions similarly to an emergency department for mental health care.
“The access center, which we have at LDS Hospital, is a way to be seen rapidly,” Novey said. “Our average time is less than 10 minutes to be seen.”
Intermountain Health has also expanded access centers to McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, with another center expected to open at Alta View Hospital in Sandy.
Health leaders say part of the challenge is overcoming the stigma many Americans still associate with mental health treatment. A 2024 Gallup poll found 75% of U.S. adults believe mental health care is treated worse than other medical conditions.
Novey said mental health treatment should be viewed no differently than treatment for physical illness.
“I always compare it with patients to, you know, we wouldn’t shame a patient for using insulin to treat their diabetes,” he said. “We shouldn’t shame people for using buprenorphine or methadone.”
Novey said he is passionate about helping patients during some of their most vulnerable moments.
“I really like being with patients during that vulnerable period where they’re first approaching, asking for help, and trying to figure out what does this person need,” he said.
The report also highlighted how younger generations are helping normalize conversations around mental health and encouraging others to seek support without shame.