With 1 in 8 people worldwide, or about 12.5%, reporting symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, these current mental health statistics reveal how widespread the impact is and how much more there is to understand across conditions, countries, and access to care.
Key Takeaways
- 1 in 8 (12.5%) people globally report symptoms of anxiety and/or depression
- 284 million people worldwide were affected by depression in 2020
- 379 million people worldwide were affected by anxiety disorders in 2020
- In the U.S., 14.8% of adults reported receiving counseling or therapy for mental health in 2021
- In the U.S., 21.1% of adults reported taking medication for mental health in 2021
- In the U.S., 49.3% of adults with any mental illness received treatment in the past year (2019–2022 estimate)
- In 2020, the U.S. had 12.4 psychologists per 100,000 population
- In Canada, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 11.0 (OECD latest)
- In the UK, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 13.2 (OECD latest)
- In the U.S., 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline calls reached 5.9 million in 2022 (including chat)
- In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline had a 71% increase in call volume from 2021
- In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answered 64% of contacts within 60 seconds (where tracked)
- In the U.S., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration allocated $1.6 billion for mental health services in FY2023 (appropriation figure)
- In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $201 billion annually in lost earnings (NAMI estimate)
- In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $193.2 billion annually in direct and indirect costs (NAMI)
One in eight people worldwide experiences anxiety and or depression, yet many cannot access timely care.
Prevalence & Burden
11 in 8 (12.5%) people globally report symptoms of anxiety and/or depression[1]
Verified2284 million people worldwide were affected by depression in 2020[2]
Verified3379 million people worldwide were affected by anxiety disorders in 2020[2]
Verified4121.9 million people worldwide were affected by bipolar disorder in 2020[2]
Directional524.2 million people worldwide were affected by schizophrenia in 2020[2]
Single source645 million people worldwide were affected by eating disorders in 2020[2]
Verified73.1% of the global population experienced anxiety disorders in 2019[3]
Verified83.8% of the global population experienced depressive disorders in 2019[3]
Verified97.2% of the global population experienced alcohol use disorder in 2019[3]
Directional105.6% of the global population experienced drug use disorders in 2019[3]
Single source11Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide among mental disorders[1]
Verified12Anxiety disorders rank among the leading causes of disability globally[4]
Verified13Worldwide, 970 million people live with a mental disorder[2]
Verified14In the U.S., 19.86% of adults reported any mental illness in 2022[5]
Directional15In the U.S., 14.22% of adults reported serious mental illness in 2022[5]
Single source16In the U.S., 4.37% of adults reported suicidal thoughts in 2022[5]
Verified17In the U.S., 5.00% of adults reported having a major depressive episode in 2022[5]
Verified18In the U.S., 7.7% of adults reported an anxiety disorder in 2022[5]
Verified19In the U.S., 7.0% of adults reported having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2022[5]
Directional20In the U.S., 11.6% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2022[5]
Single source21In the U.S., 16.5% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a mental health condition in 2022[5]
Verified22In the U.S., 6.7% of adolescents aged 12–17 reported serious mental illness in 2022[5]
Verified23In the U.S., 15.0% of adults with mental illness did not receive any mental health treatment in 2022[5]
Verified24In the U.S., 2.7% of adults reported non-suicidal self-injury in 2022[5]
Directional25In the U.S., 29.7% of adults with serious mental illness experienced unmet need for mental health treatment in 2022[5]
Single source26In the U.S., 7.7% of adults had serious thoughts of suicide in 2022[5]
Verified27Globally, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds[6]
Verified28Suicide accounts for 1.3% of all deaths worldwide[6]
Verified29700,000 people die by suicide every year worldwide[6]
Directional3010–20 million people worldwide attempt suicide each year[6]
Single source31In 2015–2020, 8.6% of U.S. adults had past-year major depressive episode[7]
Verified32In 2015–2020, 4.2% of U.S. adults had past-year generalized anxiety disorder[7]
Verified33In 2015–2020, 3.7% of U.S. adults had past-year PTSD[7]
Verified34In the UK, 1 in 6 (16.7%) adults had common mental disorders in 2021[8]
Directional35In Australia, 1 in 5 (20%) people experience a mental illness in any year[9]
Single source36In Australia, 1 in 2 (50%) people experience mental illness at some point in their lifetime[9]
Verified37In OECD countries, 1 in 4 (25%) people report feeling anxious or depressed[10]
Verified3837% of people in the OECD reported feeling depressed at some point (OECD survey estimate)[11]
Verified39In Africa, the prevalence of depression in adults was estimated at 5% (WHO region estimate)[12]
Directional40In Latin America, depression prevalence in adults is estimated around 5% (WHO region estimate)[12]
Single source41In East Asia, prevalence of depression in adults is estimated at about 4% (WHO region estimate)[12]
Verified42In South-East Asia, prevalence of anxiety disorders in adults is estimated around 6% (WHO region estimate)[12]
Verified43In the Middle East, depression prevalence in adults is estimated around 6% (WHO region estimate)[12]
Verified44Globally, 1 in 5 children and adolescents have a mental disorder[13]
Directional4550% of mental disorders start by age 14 and 75% start by age 24[13]
Single source46Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds worldwide[6]
Verified4765% of people with depression receive no treatment[1]
Verified48Globally, about 90% of people with mental disorders live in low- and middle-income countries[4]
Verified49In the U.S., 27.2% of adults with any mental illness did not receive mental health treatment in 2022[5]
Directional50In the U.S., 12.5% of adults with serious mental illness did not receive treatment in 2022[5]
Single source512.8% of adults in the U.S. report past-year serious thoughts of suicide in 2022[5]
Verified52In the U.S., 1 in 9 (11.0%) adults reported past-year suicidal thoughts in 2022[5]
Verified53In the U.S., 1 in 25 (4.0%) adults reported past-year suicidal attempts in 2022[5]
Verified54Worldwide, dementia affects 55 million people (estimated)[14]
Directional55Worldwide, dementia is estimated to rise to 139 million people by 2050[14]
Single source561.3% of the global population has schizophrenia and related disorders (estimated)[2]
Verified573.1% of the global population has bipolar disorder (estimated)[2]
Verified584.5% of the global population has OCD symptoms severe enough to be considered a disorder (estimated)[2]
Verified59About 3% of adults globally have PTSD at some point (estimated)[2]
Directional60Nearly 8% of people in the U.S. report depression symptoms (NHIS estimate)[15]
Single sourcePrevalence & Burden Interpretation
With about 970 million people living with a mental disorder worldwide and roughly 1 in 8, or 12.5%, reporting anxiety and/or depression symptoms, mental health burdens are widespread and persistent across the globe.
Service Use
1In the U.S., 14.8% of adults reported receiving counseling or therapy for mental health in 2021[7]
Verified2In the U.S., 21.1% of adults reported taking medication for mental health in 2021[7]
Verified3In the U.S., 49.3% of adults with any mental illness received treatment in the past year (2019–2022 estimate)[16]
Verified4In the U.S., 65% of adults with major depression did not receive mental health treatment in 2019–2022[17]
Directional5In the U.S., 55.1% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in the past year[16]
Single source6In Australia, 1 in 3 people who need mental health services do not receive them[18]
Verified7In OECD countries, the average share of people who received mental health care when needed is about 40%[19]
Verified8In France, 45% of people with depression receive treatment[20]
Verified9In Spain, 34% of people with depression receive treatment[20]
Directional10In Italy, 31% of people with depression receive treatment[20]
Single source11In the U.S., there were 6.5 million adults with serious mental illness in 2022[5]
Verified12In the U.S., there were 52.9 million adults with any mental illness in 2022[5]
Verified13In the U.S., 33.7 million adults received mental health treatment in 2022[5]
Verified14In the U.S., 19.4 million adults had major depressive episode in 2022[5]
Directional15In the U.S., 30.0 million adults had anxiety disorder in 2022[5]
Single source16In the U.S., 2.8 million adults had bipolar disorder in 2022[5]
Verified17In the U.S., 6.5 million adults reported PTSD in 2022[5]
Verified18In the U.S., 3.1 million adults attempted suicide in 2022[5]
Verified19In the U.S., 4.5 million adults received care for self-harm in 2022[5]
Directional20In the U.S., 40.9% of adults with any mental illness received treatment from a mental health professional in 2022[5]
Single source21In the U.S., 9.2% of adults with any mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022[5]
Verified22In the U.S., 7.5% of adults with serious mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022[5]
Verified23In the U.S., 18.0% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in a hospital or emergency department in 2022[5]
Verified24In the U.S., 6.2% of adults with serious mental illness received care in an inpatient setting in 2022[5]
Directional25In Australia, 4.0 million people accessed mental health services in 2022 (estimate, AIHW)[18]
Single source26In Australia, 64% of people who accessed services accessed them through general practice (AIHW)[18]
Verified27In the EU, 50% of people with mental disorders report unmet need for treatment (EU-wide estimate)[21]
VerifiedService Use Interpretation
In the U.S., only 33.7 million adults received mental health treatment in 2022 despite 52.9 million having any mental illness, highlighting a wide gap where treatment reaches just about two thirds of those affected.
Workforce & Access
1In 2020, the U.S. had 12.4 psychologists per 100,000 population[22]
Verified2In Canada, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 11.0 (OECD latest)[23]
Verified3In the UK, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 13.2 (OECD latest)[23]
Verified4In Australia, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 12.5 (OECD latest)[23]
Directional5In France, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 9.0 (OECD latest)[23]
Single source6In Germany, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 14.5 (OECD latest)[23]
Verified7In Japan, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 6.0 (OECD latest)[23]
Verified8In the U.S., there were about 14.4 psychologists per 100,000 population in 2020 (OECD)[22]
Verified9In the U.S., there were about 5.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 population in 2019 (OECD)[23]
Directional10In the U.S., the share of adults with mental illness who receive treatment from a mental health professional is 39.6% (2019)[16]
Single source11In the U.S., 59.2% of adults with mental illness received treatment in the past year through any source (2019)[16]
Verified12In the U.S., 26.3% of adults with mental illness reported unmet need (2019)[16]
Verified13In the U.S., the average wait time for mental health care can exceed 4 weeks in many areas[24]
Verified14In Canada, 25% of people report difficulty accessing mental health care[25]
Directional15In the U.S., 55.3% of community mental health centers report workforce shortages[26]
Single source16In the U.S., 42.0% of community mental health centers report difficulty recruiting psychiatrists[26]
Verified17In the U.S., 38.6% report difficulty recruiting psychologists[26]
Verified18In the U.S., 18.2% report high demand compared with staff capacity[26]
Verified19WHO estimates that 4 out of 5 people with mental disorders do not receive care in low-income countries[27]
Directional20In 2022, 1 in 4 (25%) of adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to cost[28]
Single source21In 2022, 1 in 5 (20%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to not being able to get an appointment[28]
Verified22In 2022, 1 in 10 (10%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to stigma[28]
Verified23In the U.S., 37% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot afford care (2022)[29]
Verified24In the U.S., 26% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot get care soon enough (2022)[29]
Directional25In the U.S., 1 in 5 (20%) people with mental health conditions are uninsured (2022)[29]
Single source261.4 million people in the U.S. work in mental health occupations (2022)[30]
Verified27In the U.S., employment for psychologists is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)[31]
Verified28In the U.S., employment for social and human service assistants is projected to grow 10% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)[32]
Verified29In the U.S., employment for counselors and therapists is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)[33]
DirectionalWorkforce & Access Interpretation
Across the United States, only 39.6% of adults with mental illness receive treatment from a mental health professional while 26.3% report unmet need, and even though psychologists per 100,000 rose to 14.4 in 2020, wait times can exceed four weeks and shortages are widespread, with 55.3% of community mental health centers reporting workforce gaps.
Industry Trends
1In the U.S., 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline calls reached 5.9 million in 2022 (including chat)[34]
Verified2In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline had a 71% increase in call volume from 2021[34]
Verified3In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answered 64% of contacts within 60 seconds (where tracked)[34]
Verified4In 2022, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported 5.9 million contacts to 988 (total)[34]
Directional5In 2023, 988 received 9.9 million contacts (estimated total)[34]
Single source6In 2023, 988 answered about 70% of calls within 60 seconds (reported metrics)[34]
Verified7Telepsychiatry visits increased by 50–200% during early COVID-19 (meta-synthesis figure range)[35]
Verified8A 2021 study found 60.5% of psychiatric providers used telehealth at least weekly[36]
Verified9In a 2020 survey, 71% of respondents reported mental health needs increased during the pandemic[37]
Directional10In a 2020 global study, 25% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms during COVID-19[38]
Single source11In a 2020 global study, 24% of participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms during COVID-19[38]
Verified12In a 2021 U.S. study, 42% of adults reported their mental health was worse than before COVID-19[39]
Verified13In the U.S., 19% of adults reported having symptoms consistent with depression during 2021 (NHIS)[15]
Verified14Mental health is a top reason for workplace accommodations: 1 in 5 employees sought accommodations for mental health (survey)[40]
Directional15In the U.S., 12.2% of adults reported having used telehealth for mental health services in 2022[7]
Single source16In 2021, 31% of U.S. adults used telehealth for mental health or counseling (survey estimate)[7]
Verified17Digital therapeutics market for mental health reached an estimated $1.0–$1.5 billion in 2023 (market estimate, report)[41]
Verified18The global mental health apps market is projected to grow at ~23% CAGR from 2023 to 2030 (report estimate)[42]
Verified19The behavioral health software market reached $7.9 billion in 2022 (report estimate)[43]
Directional20The global psychiatry/mental health services market was $4.2 billion in 2023 (report estimate)[44]
Single sourceIndustry Trends Interpretation
In 2022, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline fielded 5.9 million contacts, a 71% jump from 2021, underscoring a sharp surge in urgent mental health needs that continued to escalate into 2023 with an estimated 9.9 million contacts.
Cost & Economics
1In the U.S., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration allocated $1.6 billion for mental health services in FY2023 (appropriation figure)[45]
Verified2In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $201 billion annually in lost earnings (NAMI estimate)[46]
Verified3In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $193.2 billion annually in direct and indirect costs (NAMI)[46]
Verified4In the U.S., the total cost of serious mental illness was estimated at $317 billion in 2020 (NAMI estimate)[46]
Directional5In the U.S., adults with mental illness have healthcare costs that are about 2x those without mental illness (HHS/AHRQ)[47]
Single source6WHO estimates that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition at some point in their life[48]
Verified7In the U.S., mental health conditions are estimated to cost employers about $50 billion annually (estimate)[46]
Verified8In the U.S., depression alone accounts for $326.8 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)[49]
Verified9In the U.S., anxiety disorders account for $184.6 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)[49]
Directional10In the U.S., serious mental illness accounted for about $467.6 billion in societal costs (estimate, 2010s)[50]
Single source11In the U.S., the cost of schizophrenia was estimated at $281.4 billion in 2013 (estimate)[51]
Verified12In the UK, the cost of mental health-related absence from work was estimated at £1.3 billion per year (report estimate)[52]
VerifiedCost & Economics Interpretation
Across the US and UK, mental health conditions impose massive, ongoing economic burdens, with US total costs of serious mental illness reaching $317 billion in 2020 and depression alone costing $326.8 billion while employer costs in the US add another $50 billion annually.
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