The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has designated April as National Financial Literacy Month. The month of recognition encourages national banks and federal savings associations to support efforts to improve the financial literacy and financial health of their customers. Meanwhile, as one of America’s leading mental and behavioral health providers, Kindbridge feels beholden to weigh in on how finances can relate to emotional, psychological, and social well-being. While there are larger discussions to be had about how debt may be a symptom of a mental health concern and a causation factor, the intent of this article is to take a cursory look at the public health concern. We’re doing so by referencing current debt and mental health statistics to provide valuable insight into what is happening in America in 2025 (and beyond). Please keep reading.
Quick Overview of Research and Statistics Relating to Debt and Mental Health in America in 2025
Search for Mental Health Help Relating to Debt
In modern times, one needn’t wait for the results of surveys to gain insight into what the public is concerned about when it comes to their emotional and psychological well-being. Useful data can be attained by looking directly at what people are entering into their online search browsers – where they turn to when in need of help. This is as true for debt and mental health as it is for a vast number of other categories.
One of the most common mental health concerns relating to debt is depression. The following is a look at Google search averages regarding debt and depression within the most populated US states:
Source: Google Keyword Research
The numbers indicate that the average volume for each expression is between 10-100 searches per month, per the most populated U.S. states. It’s important to note that these are just averages, and can shift dramatically into the thousands in response to a given event or crisis. While search appears consistent through the most recent quarter of 2025, the “+ ∞” (positive infinity) appended to “my debt is making me depressed” phrase indicates a significant-to-extremely high positive growth in search volume. In other words, outreach for help by those who admit that debt is making them depressed is currently skyrocketing. This data motivates further investigation into where (U.S. states) debt and depression concerns are trending the most:
Note: A value of 100 is the peak “popularity” for the term. A value of 50 means that the term is half as “popular”, but still trending.
Source: Google Trends
According to this data, Oklahomans lead the country in online search for semantics related to debt and depression, followed by South Carolinians, Iowans, Alabamans, and Tennesseans.
Additional debt and mental health statistics pertaining to online outreach include but are not exclusive to the following:
100-1000 online searches per month for “debt and stress”
100-1000 online searches per month for “debt stress”
Online search for “debt stress syndrome” is currently increasing by 900% across the United States
Online search for “debt and anxiety” is currently increasing by 900% across the United States
Online search for “anxiety money worries” is currently experiencing + ∞ growth across the USA
Online search for “debt anxiety” is currently increasing by 900% across the United States
100-1000 online searches per month for “bipolar debt relief”
100-1000 online searches per month for “debt and suicide”
Source: Google Keyword Research
Mental Health Issues that Cooccur with Debt
Online search statistics referenced above regarding debt and mental health problems infer that certain issues cooccur with overwhelming financial liabilities. Researchers have indeed found comorbidities between a number of mental and behavioral health concerns and debt. Of course, there are also occupational, socio-economic, and socio-cultural variables at play, but for the sake of keeping things succinct we are simply looking at prevalence rates across populations who struggle with mental or behavioral health concerns.
To begin with, we first look to gambling disorder and debt, which is a mental/behavioral health issue that likely has the most direct relationship with debt:
Nearly 20% of sports bettors allot one-quarter of their paycheck to gambling
20% of sports bettors are in or have been in debt from gambling
Average male problem gambler debt is between $55,000 and $90,000
Average female problem gambler debt is $15,000
Over 20% of compulsive gamblers file for bankruptcy
Meanwhile, a Money and Mental Health Policy Institute survey uncovered the following debt and mental health statistics:
Approximately 46% of people in problem debt also have a mental health problem
People experiencing mental health problems are 3.5 times more likely to be in problem debt than people without mental health problems
People in problem debt are 3 X as likely to exhibit suicidal ideation
72% of survey respondents report that their mental health problems had made their financial situation worse
Below is additional data regarding debt and cooccurring concerns, with links to learn more:
People with ADHD are 3 X more likely to struggle with debt than those without ADHD (source)
Of those who say money has a negative impact on their mental health, 48% say that being in debt is their top issue (source)
People with debt are 3 X more likely to have depression, anxiety and stress from the worry (source)
52% of U.S. adults who have had a credit card balance carry out and have paid interest report anxiety and stress (source)
Anxiety and stress are reported in 36% of Americans with debt related to automobile loans (same source as above)
Anxiety and stress are reported in 39% of Americans with debt related to student loans (same source as above)
Mental Health Debt Help
Where to Get Help for Debt
Studies have found that nearly 20% of adults with lifetime depression had medical debt compared to 8.6% of those without, inferring that medical debt may be related to mental health treatment. Further, whether debt is a symptom of a mental health concern or a causation factor, it’s logical for people to find ways to mitigate cost associated with relief and support services. Otherwise, they may join the more than 33% of adults with medical debt and depression or anxiety who delay getting mental health care.
Returning to online search data, we find that a significant number of people per U.S. state come online to find out whether or not they can claim debt as a write-off when it relates to potential mental health struggles:
Source: Google Keyword Research
At press, there are no federal or state allowances offering debt forgiveness for mental health issues. That being said, those who are able to verify (through a mental health provider) that they struggle with mental health issues, can plead their case on an individual basis to creditors. An individual creditor may decide to waive the debt (and write it off as their own loss) if they think there’s no chance of recovering it. This likelihood is greater if a debtor is unable to work for the foreseeable future and there are no assets a creditor could secure to cover debt. Anyone struggling with their mental health should at minimum receive a FREE assessment to identify if there is a mental or behavioral health issue that may be comorbid with their financial burdens.
In either case, those in financial dire straits can access debt consolidation services. Feel free to explore options, but we do encourage Americans to reference Debt.org, which is a debt assistance organization that serves millions of citizens through accurate and accessible online information about personal finances.
Where to Get Help for Mental Health Concerns
If debt is at all related to a mental or behavioral health struggle, an individual needs to begin counseling right away. However, the conundrum is that in order to do so, one must invest in recovery. What is the cost of getting mental or behavioral health support? Access to effective treatment in each U.S. state is more affordable than most may think. Therapy is covered by a number of insurance providers via its inclusion in mental health services.
Click or Tap to Access Direct Billing!
If someone (yourself included) is unsure about whether or not coverage and direct billing are available, and/or they (you) want to inquire about more affordable options (view here) that consider debt level, contact a Kindbridge care coordinator.
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