The number of people living with a mental health condition has nearly doubled in the past 30 years, largely due to the sharp rise in anxiety and depression around the world, according to new research.
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The analysis, published in the medical journal The Lancet as part of the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study, estimates that around 1.2 billion people will be living with a mental health condition in 2023.
This represents a 95% increase since 1990. Growth rates for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders were even greater, increasing by 131% and 158%, respectively, making them the two most common mental health conditions in the world.
“Addressing the mental health needs of people around the world, especially the most vulnerable, is a duty, not a choice,” the authors write.
The report describes mental disorders as widespread illnesses that cause significant suffering and long-term health loss in humans. The authors said mental illness not only takes its toll on individuals, but also affects families, workplaces and governments through reduced productivity, lower labor force participation and increased pressure on welfare and health systems.
Not everyone suffers in the same way
Mental health conditions are increasing globally, but the burden is not shared equally.
The authors noted that there are 620 million cases of mental disorders in women and 552 million cases of mental disorders in men, but little research has been done to quantify the drivers of gender differences in mental disorders.
“Compared to men, women have lower self-esteem, are more likely to experience body-related shame, and have higher rates of domestic violence and sexual abuse,” the report said.
Other factors that could explain this difference include biological changes, especially over the perinatal period, increased career responsibilities, and structural inequalities such as gender discrimination.
In women, depression and anxiety were the most common symptoms. Persistent depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa were also more common in women.
In contrast, neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorder, and autism were more common in men.
Teens aged 15 to 19 face the highest mental health burden worldwide, highlighting the need for early prevention and targeted support for young people.
What is driving the increase?
The report identifies several key risk factors associated with mental illness, including childhood sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and bullying. These were associated with conditions such as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, conduct disorder, and bulimia nervosa.
But researchers said these factors alone cannot explain the surge in cases. Exposure rates remained relatively stable over time, accounting for only 18% of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (a measure of years of healthy life lost to disease or disability) for mental disorders in 2023.
The authors said mental health outcomes are likely to be shaped by a more complex combination of influences, including genetics, biology, poverty, rising inequality, war, pandemics, natural disasters, and major global crises such as climate change.
Mental disorders have long been one of the leading causes of disability around the world, but the report warns that the global burden continues to worsen.
At the same time, the expansion of mental health services has not kept pace with increasing demand.
“Relatedly, this increase in burden has not been accompanied by a proportionate expansion of mental health services globally,” the authors write.
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