OPINION:

If one posits that liberalism constitutes a form of mental illness, then these statistics offer intriguing insights into potential alignments.

On October 18, 2025, the “No Kings” protests swept through every U.S. state and the nation’s capital, a grassroots roar against what organizers called an assault on democracy under President Trump’s early second term. From New York City’s borough-spanning marches to smaller stands in rural Nebraska, the events pulled in an estimated 5.2 million people at the median, according to independent tallies from data journalists at Strength In Numbers and The Xylom. Organizers pushed the figure higher, to 8.2 million. Against a U.S. population of 342.7 million, that’s 1.5% to 2.4% of everyone from sea to shining sea.

The turnout skewed urban and left-leaning: Informal surveys showed more than 70% of participants identifying as progressive. It was a vivid display of civic muscle, the kind that social scientists say thrives on shared outrage and tight-knit networks. But peel back the layers, and the numbers start to whisper something more complicated.

Recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration painted a dark picture of American mental well-being. Their 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 5.5% of adults—14.6 million people—lived with serious mental illness (SMI) over the past year. These aren’t fleeting blues; SMI means disorders severe enough to upend daily life: jobs lost, relationships strained, basic routines derailed, all calibrated against DSM-5 standards.

Factor in the full population, including the 22% under 18 who don’t factor into adult diagnoses or typical protest lines, and that rate settles at 4.3% nationwide.

Stack these figures side by side, and the overlap jumps out: That peak protest estimate of 2.4% covers more than half—56% of the SMI footprint. If every adult with SMI had joined the marches, the crowds would have swelled even larger.

These numbers aren’t just curiosities—they’re a stark warning that America’s progressive vanguard is marching hand-in-glove with its most broken minds, fueled by media fearmongering.

And we must not forget; outlets like CNN and MSNBC, with their relentless focus on crisis, systemic threats and hate filled alarm, reach millions daily. Psychological research from the American Psychological Association warns that such coverage, intense, alarm-laden, can amplify anxiety, especially among the mentally challenged and those already vulnerable.