• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Healthmental health

15% of unemployed say they aren’t working due to mental health problems

Nicole Goodkind
By
Nicole Goodkind
Nicole Goodkind
Down Arrow Button Icon
Nicole Goodkind
By
Nicole Goodkind
Nicole Goodkind
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 13, 2021, 3:45 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Nearly 15% of unemployed people blame their lack of work on mental health problems, according to a new survey highlighting a growing problem that is keeping many Americans from getting jobs.

The number of those who cited mental health issues as their top cause of unemployment is up 2 percentage points from March, the survey by business consulting firm McKinsey on Monday found.

The findings, based on a survey of 5,000 Americans, show the pandemic’s huge toll on mental health and its impact on employment. During the pandemic, about four in 10 adults in the U.S. reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. That’s up from one in 10 adults who reported these symptoms from January to June 2019. 

In another sign of mental health struggles during the pandemic, more than one in 10 adults have reported starting or increasingly use alcohol since COVID arrived. Deaths from drug overdoses also grew, largely due to synthetic opioids. About 93,000 drug overdose deaths were reported in 2020, the highest on record and a 30% increase from 2019. 

Health, in general, is playing a huge role in unemployment, with physical and mental health representing the biggest barrier to finding work, according to the survey. When asked why they were currently unemployed, 30% of respondents (up from 27% in March) cited physical health as a reason.

Those who had stopped looking for work altogether also cited health concerns as the main cause of joblessness. 

The survey also found that access to affordable healthcare is the greatest barrier to people’s wellbeing, followed by access to nutritious food. About 40% of respondents who struggle with access to healthcare reported having been diagnosed with a mental-health issue or substance abuse disorder.

Overall, unemployment rates have recovered from their spike during pandemic, returning to a pre-COVID-era low of 4.2% in the most recent unemployment report. The low rate is helping to fuel increasing optimism among workers, with nearly half now saying good jobs are available to them, up 7 percentage points from March. 

Still, not everyone is thriving. The number of people who have lost permanent jobs is still higher than it was in February of 2020, just before the pandemic. And the number of long-term unemployed, who make up 32% of total unemployment, is little changed.

Additionally, McKinsey found that most Americans are teetering on the financial brink. Just 48% of respondents said this fall that they could cover more than two months of expenses if they lost their jobs, a slight decline from 50% in March.

That decline comes as inflation reached a 40-year high, increasing the cost of living considerably. Worker’s wages, meanwhile, have not risen to keep up with the higher prices of consumer goods.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
Nicole Goodkind
By Nicole Goodkind
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
2 hours ago
Are Europe’s heat waves deadlier than American gun violence? Kind of—and one of the hottest summers on record is making it worse
EnvironmentEurope
Are Europe’s heat waves deadlier than American gun violence? Kind of—and one of the hottest summers on record is making it worse
By Catherina GioinoJune 26, 2026
6 hours ago
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Walking Pads of 2026: Walk While You Work
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
6 hours ago
Vital proteins collagen
HealthDietary Supplements
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Review (2026): Our Personal Experience
By Christina SnyderJune 26, 2026
7 hours ago
NordicTrack as best elliptical
HealthFitness
The Best Ellipticals of 2026: Fitness Expert Approved
By Christina SnyderJune 26, 2026
9 hours ago
apes
HealthAnimals
Scientists tickled monkeys to find if they have the same giggles as humans — and they do
By Adithi Ramakrishnan and The Associated PressJune 25, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
15 hours ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
Economy
Trump turns on Big Oil donors who spent nearly $100 million to get him elected—now he wants the DOJ to investigate them for price gouging
By Tristan BoveJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 25, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 25, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.