May 30, 2025 — In another installment of the American Federation of Teacher (AFT) series, Vital Lessons: Health Chats with Dr. Vin Gupta, discussion revolved around mental health in the United States.
“Mental health is a crisis in this country,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in opening the discussion. “Across the board we’re seeing rising rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and we’re seeing it in our schools a lot, but we’re also seeing it in hospitals and city offices. A lot of us are seeing it at home.
“Nurses are dealing with intense burnout,” she said. “So is, frankly, everyone else in hospitals and in health professions. Public employees are navigating more stress than ever before, often without any support. If we’re not taking care of the people who are doing the work, whether it’s teachers, nurses, school staff or public employees, everything breaks down.”
Anxiety disorders affect more than 40 million adults in the United States, said guest speaker Jerome Adams, Presidential Fellow and Distinguished Professor of Practice and the Executive Director of the Center for Community Health Enhancement and Learning (HEAL), who served as President Donald Trump’s Surgeon General during his first presidency.
“That’s almost 20% of the population,” he said. “They’re on the rise among young people. Depression will impact one in six Americans in their lifetime. It’s the leading cause of disability worldwide, and suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34. But each of you has the power to make a difference.
“Our mental health isn’t just a private struggle, it’s a public health crisis,” he said. “There’s the pressure of modern society, there’s economic stress, there’s social media, there’s the COVID-19 pandemic, and there’s an overall breakdown in community connections.”
Adams said the 24-hour news cycle, with a drumbeat of sensationalized headlines and divisive rhetoric, coupled with increased job and housing insecurity keep stress levels sky high.
“The dysfunction, gridlock and political infighting that we see in Washington, D.C., isn’t just shaping policy, it’s shaping our collective anxiety,” he said. “When every issue is framed as an existential crisis, a threat to our very lives and our livelihoods, it’s no wonder so many feel so overwhelmed.”
Adams said there are stark disparities in mental health – with LGBTQ+ youth facing significantly higher suicide rates and mental health challenges; Blacks and Latinos experiencing poorer outcomes; and minority communities facing access issues.
“Studies show that racial and ethnic minorities often have less access to mental health services and are less likely to receive needed care,” he said. “And when they do, that care is often of lower quality.”
But the mental health crisis isn’t just in our homes – it’s in our workplaces.
According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy more than $1 trillion each year in lost productivity; in the United States alone, there are $200 billion in earnings lost annually.
So, what can we do? For adolescents, Adams encouraged curating social media content, limiting screen time, and creating a place for youth to be present outside the internet. For the wider crisis, reducing stigma and continuing to advocate for equitable access for all, are a start.
To view the complete presentation, including a deeper dive into ADHD, click here.
PEF members also have access to a valuable work/life services benefit – The Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This program was made possible by a unique collaboration between labor and management and the resources and services are provided at no cost. An EAP Toolkit that contains important information and resources is available here.