Survey Also Reveals Differing Attitudes About
Mental Health Content on Social Media, With TikTok Emerging
as a Highly Used but Less Trusted Platform
SCOTTSDALE,
Ariz., Aug. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeStance
Health, one of the nation's largest providers of virtual and
in-person outpatient mental healthcare, today released findings
from a new survey examining the state of Americans' mental health,
their ability to access mental healthcare, how therapy ranks in
their overall household budgets and the role that social media
plays in shaping attitudes towards mental health.
As the nation faces a growing mental health crisis, many people
struggle to access and afford mental health treatment. According to
the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 1 in
5 U.S. adults experience a mental health condition, highlighting
the urgent need for accessible, high-quality care.
LifeStance's survey of 1,085 U.S. adults found that the demand
for mental healthcare has continued to accelerate, with 70% of
respondents reporting that they experienced anxiety, stress, worry
or depression. Among those experiencing mental health challenges,
64% had previously sought therapy, while 35% had received a formal
diagnosis for a mental health condition. Key findings include:
The majority of Americans rely on insurance coverage to
afford mental healthcare. However, a significant
portion of people struggle to find an in-network provider,
impacting their ability to receive care within a reasonable
timeframe.
- Two-thirds of respondents (66%) have been able to find a
therapist who accepts their insurance and has availability while
over a quarter (27%) have not, underscoring the continued need for
expanded access to insurance-covered mental health services across
the country.
- Nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents said they would not be
able to afford therapy if it wasn't covered by their health
insurance.
- Over half (59%) of respondents said that seeing a therapist
whose services are covered by insurance would provide financial
relief, with this sentiment being most prevalent among baby boomers
(39%) and Generation X (38%), compared to millennials (31%) and
Generation Z (28%).
Mental health is a top priority for many Americans. In fact,
a majority of people ranked therapy as their most important
discretionary expense.
- Over half (54%) of respondents ranked therapy or related mental
health services as their top discretionary expense priority.
- If given the option, half (50%) stated they would choose a year
of free therapy sessions over once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like
an all-expenses-paid luxury cruise around Europe, free Super Bowl tickets or free
Taylor Swift tickets.
Social media platforms are an increasingly popular
destination for mental health content and information. However,
people acknowledge that the quality of content can vary depending
on the platform.
- While YouTube is the most popular platform overall for seeking
mental health content (used by 31% of respondents), Generation Z
ranks TikTok as their number one source. In fact, 40% of Generation
Z respondents seek mental health content on TikTok.
- Not all of this content is beneficial: TikTok's mental health
content was ranked the most harmful by 34% of respondents, while
YouTube was cited as having the most useful mental health content
(according to 47% of respondents).
"Affordable and readily accessible mental healthcare is one of
the greatest collective needs in our country today," said Dr.
Ujjwal Ramtekkar, Chief Medical Officer, LifeStance. "While we've
made a significant amount of progress with respect to increasing
access to care for communities across the nation, there is still
more work that needs to be done to ensure all patients have access
to care when and where they need it."
Added Dr. Ramtekkar: "As a psychiatrist, it's concerning to know
that due to challenges finding providers who accept their coverage,
many people are forced to turn to inaccurate and potentially
harmful sources of information on social media to address their
mental health concerns. Access and quality care must go
hand-in-hand to meaningfully address the mental health crisis. Not
only do patients need to be able to consistently receive treatment,
but they also must be confident that their licensed clinicians are
trained to deliver quality, evidence-based care."
Methodology
Researchscape International conducted an
online survey of 1,085 U.S. adults who are currently or have in the
past received therapy for their mental health. The survey was
fielded from December 14, 2023, to
January 2, 2024. The credibility
interval is plus or minus 4 percentage points for questions
answered by all respondents. Responses were not weighted.
ABOUT LIFESTANCE HEALTH
Founded in 2017, LifeStance
(NASDAQ: LFST) is reimagining mental health. We are one of the
nation's largest providers of virtual and in-person outpatient
mental healthcare for children, adolescents and adults experiencing
a variety of mental health conditions. Our mission is to help
people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives by improving access to
trusted, affordable and personalized mental healthcare. LifeStance
and its supported practices collectively employ approximately 6,800
psychiatrists, advanced practice nurses, psychologists and
therapists and operates across 33 states and approximately 550
centers. To learn more, please visit www.LifeStance.com.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lifestance-survey-finds-us-adults-prioritize-access-to-therapy-over-free-taylor-swift-tickets-and-vacations-302211856.html
SOURCE LifeStance Health
