About
The CDC Mental Health Data Channel uses recent data to tell the story of mental health and well-being in the U.S. This page shares information about youth and adult overdose deaths and youth substance use. Data is available at the national and state level for recent years.
What to know
- Substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable condition. Symptoms of SUD include harmful impacts of substance use on a person’s thinking, behavior, and physical well-being.1
- SUDs and other mental health conditions are often experienced together, which are sometimes called "co-occurring conditions." People with a mental health condition are more likely to use substances or have an SUD.2 People who use substances or have an SUD can also experience other mental health conditions.2
- Tracking data on youth and adult drug overdose deaths, such as through CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), can help us understand circumstances surrounding these deaths to inform prevention and response efforts.3
- Recent SUDORS data shows many youth and adults who died from overdose had a mental health diagnosis. Some were also either being treated for mental health or substance use disorders or had been treated at some point in their lives, reflecting possible missed opportunities for prevention.
- Recent data shows youth substance use is declining.
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Youth and adult drug overdose death data **
Overall & by state: Overdose deaths with evidence of a mental health diagnosis
Evidence of a mental health diagnosis**
Most recent 2024 data shows 37% or 1 in 3 people who died from overdose had evidence of a mental health diagnosis, such as depressive, anxiety, or bipolar disorder.
Overall & by state: Overdose deaths with evidence of ever being treated for mental health or substance use disorders
Ever treated for mental health or substance use disorder(s)**
Most recent 2024 data shows 32% or 1 in 3 people who died from overdose were ever treated for mental health or substance use disorders, reflecting possible missed opportunities for overdose prevention.
Overall & by state: Overdose deaths with evidence of current treatment for mental health or substance use disorders
Current treatment for mental health or substance use disorder(s)**
Most recent 2024 data shows 20% or 1 in 5 people who died from overdose were being treated for mental health or substance use disorders at the time of their death, reflecting possible missed opportunities for overdose prevention.
Youth substance use data **
National: Youth who ever used select illicit drugs
Ever used select illicit drugs**
Most recent 2023 data shows 10% or 1 in 10 U.S. high school students reported ever using select illicit drugs, including cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy, or hallucinogens.
National & by state: Youth who ever misused prescription pain medicine
Reported ever misusing prescription pain medicine**
Most recent 2023 data shows 12% or 1 in 9 U.S. high school students reported ever taking prescription pain medicine without a doctor's prescription or differently than how a doctor told them to use it.
Why it matters
- Mental health conditions and substance use disorder frequently co-exist. Expanding efforts to integrate treatment for mental health and substance use might help people with co-occurring conditions.
- Screening for substance use and mental health conditions during key opportunities (e.g., in institutional settings or emergency department visits) and linking patients to treatment might reduce overdose deaths and improve mental health.4
- Recent data indicates overdose deaths and youth substance use have decreased.5 However, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44, highlighting the importance of sustaining public health efforts.5
What CDC Is Doing
Explore original data source tools
- State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) dashboard displays state data on unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths from death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results.
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS) Explorer displays data about high school students' health behaviors and experiences, such as mental and physical health, substance use, social and emotional support, and suicide risks.
Though not featured on this page, these select CDC systems also contain data on overdose:
- CDC's Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology Syndromic Surveillance (DOSE-SYS) dashboard displays state data from emergency department visits for suspected nonfatal drug overdose.
- Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence Dashboard provides timely, local data on deaths from injury and violence (including overdose).
Federal Partners
Federal partners also provide data on substance use. To learn more:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health website presents data on substance use disorders, mental health issues, treatment, as well as use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs among the people ages 12 or older in the United States.
Keep Reading
Mental Health Data Sources
Content Source:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
- American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
- NIMH. (2024). Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Disorders. Retrieved on May 22, 2025 from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health
- CDC. (2025). About the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). Retrieved March 4, 2026 from https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/data-research/facts-stats/about-sudors.html
- Dinwiddie, A., et al. (2024).Reported Non–Substance-Related Mental Health Disorders Among Persons Who Died of Drug Overdose — United States, 2022. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 73(34), 747-753. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7334a3.htm
- CDC. (2025, May 14). Statement from CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control on Provisional 2024 Overdose Death Data [Press release]. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2025/2025-statement-from-cdcs-national-center-for-injury-prevention-and-control-on-provisional-2024.html