Diagnoses of mental health disorders among U.S. active component service members, 2021-2025.

Authors

Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division

Published in

MSMR. Volume 33. Issue 8. Pages 3-14. Aug 20, 2026. Epub Aug 20, 2026.

Abstract

Safeguarding the mental well-being of military service members is a critical strategic imperative for force readiness. This report summarizes the incidence of mental health disorders among U.S. active component service members (ACSMs) from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025. During the surveillance period, 582,279 ACSMs received at least 1 mental health diagnosis, and 1,050,231 total incident diagnoses were made. Overall incidence rates peaked in 2023 before declining slightly, through 2025. Adjustment, anxiety, and depressive disorders comprise the clinical burden majority of mental health care, accounting for 66.5% of all incident diagnoses. Diagnostic comorbidity was notably high, with 48.4% of affected ACSMs receiving diagnoses in multiple mental health categories. Female ACSMs generally experienced higher rates for most mental health conditions, while male ACSMs had higher incidence rates for alcohol- and substance-related disorders. Vulnerabilities related to occupation are prominent: Health care personnel evinced highest rates for most disorders, while combat-related functions were most closely associated with substance-related conditions. These findings underscore the ongoing need to prioritize access to mental health services for ACSMs. The high volume of co-occurring diagnoses and distinct occupational risks require robust, multi-disciplinary clinical resources to sustain a resilient and ready joint force. From 2021 through 2025, over 1 million incident mental health diagnoses for U.S. active component service members occurred, with most of that health care burden a result of disorders related to adjustment, anxiety, and depression. Notably, those three disorder categories accounted for approximately two-thirds (66.5%) of all incident mental health diagnoses during the surveillance period.

PMID:
42748291
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 17 Sep 2026.

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