American depression levels hit all-time high: poll

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Levels of lifetime and current depression are at an all-time high for Americans this year, according to a new poll.

The rate of Americans who report that they were depressed at some point in their lives hit 29% this year, according to a Gallup poll published Wednesday. The reported level of those currently depressed hit 18%. Both figures mark an all-time high in Gallup's polling data.

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Levels of lifetime and current depression are at an all-time high for Americans this year, according to a new poll. (iStock)

The trend of depression levels tracked by Gallup shows a clear spike since the pandemic. The lifetime depression rate in 2019 was 21.6%, which jumped to 28.6% by 2021. Levels of current depression steadily rose from 12.5% in 2019 to the current rate of 17.8%.

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Women have a significantly larger level of lifetime depression at 36.7% as compared to men at 20.4%.  (iStock)

Women have a significantly higher level of lifetime depression at 36.7% as compared to men at 20.4%. 

The highest rate of current depression in an age group is 24.6% for adults aged 18 to 29. This marked a sharp increase from only 13% in 2017.

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Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center this year after being treated for depression. (Office of Fetterman)

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Lifetime depression rates for Black and Hispanic adults increased significantly in recent years as they surpassed levels of white adults. Black adult depression levels jumped from 20.1% in 2017 to 34.4% in 2023, while Hispanic levels moved from 18.4% to 31.3%, and white levels from 22.3% to 29%.