Roughly one in eight people worldwide report symptoms of anxiety or depression. Nearly one billion individuals live with a mental disorder. Recent figures on treatment rates, workforce capacity, and economic costs show persistent gaps in 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 report anxiety and or depression symptoms, yet most never get care.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence & Burden30 stats
01
1 in 8 (12.5%) people globally report symptoms of anxiety and/or depressionhttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
02
284 million people worldwide were affected by depression in 2020https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
03
379 million people worldwide were affected by anxiety disorders in 2020https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
04
121.9 million people worldwide were affected by bipolar disorder in 2020https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
05
24.2 million people worldwide were affected by schizophrenia in 2020https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
06
45 million people worldwide were affected by eating disorders in 2020https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
07
3.1% of the global population experienced anxiety disorders in 2019https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool
08
3.8% of the global population experienced depressive disorders in 2019https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool
09
7.2% of the global population experienced alcohol use disorder in 2019https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool
10
5.6% of the global population experienced drug use disorders in 2019https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool
11
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide among mental disordershttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression
12
Anxiety disorders rank among the leading causes of disability globallyhttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders
13
Worldwide, 970 million people live with a mental disorderhttps://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
14
In the U.S., 19.86% of adults reported any mental illness in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
15
In the U.S., 14.22% of adults reported serious mental illness in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
16
In the U.S., 4.37% of adults reported suicidal thoughts in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
17
In the U.S., 5.00% of adults reported having a major depressive episode in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
18
In the U.S., 7.7% of adults reported an anxiety disorder in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
19
In the U.S., 7.0% of adults reported having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
20
In the U.S., 11.6% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
21
In the U.S., 16.5% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a mental health condition in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
22
In the U.S., 6.7% of adolescents aged 12–17 reported serious mental illness in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
23
In the U.S., 15.0% of adults with mental illness did not receive any mental health treatment in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
24
In the U.S., 2.7% of adults reported non-suicidal self-injury in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
25
In the U.S., 29.7% of adults with serious mental illness experienced unmet need for mental health treatment in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
26
In the U.S., 7.7% of adults had serious thoughts of suicide in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
27
Globally, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-oldshttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
28
Suicide accounts for 1.3% of all deaths worldwidehttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
29
700,000 people die by suicide every year worldwidehttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
30
10–20 million people worldwide attempt suicide each yearhttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/suicide
Interpretation
Prevalence & 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.
02 · Category
Service Use27 stats
01
In the U.S., 14.8% of adults reported receiving counseling or therapy for mental health in 2021https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm
02
In the U.S., 21.1% of adults reported taking medication for mental health in 2021https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm
03
In the U.S., 49.3% of adults with any mental illness received treatment in the past year (2019–2022 estimate)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
04
In the U.S., 65% of adults with major depression did not receive mental health treatment in 2019–2022https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
05
In the U.S., 55.1% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in the past yearhttps://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
06
In Australia, 1 in 3 people who need mental health services do not receive themhttps://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/contents/access-and-coverage
07
In OECD countries, the average share of people who received mental health care when needed is about 40%https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=HEALTH_STAT
08
In France, 45% of people with depression receive treatmenthttps://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Statistics_on_social_protection
09
In Spain, 34% of people with depression receive treatmenthttps://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Statistics_on_social_protection
10
In Italy, 31% of people with depression receive treatmenthttps://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Statistics_on_social_protection
11
In the U.S., there were 6.5 million adults with serious mental illness in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
12
In the U.S., there were 52.9 million adults with any mental illness in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
13
In the U.S., 33.7 million adults received mental health treatment in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
14
In the U.S., 19.4 million adults had major depressive episode in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
15
In the U.S., 30.0 million adults had anxiety disorder in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
16
In the U.S., 2.8 million adults had bipolar disorder in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
17
In the U.S., 6.5 million adults reported PTSD in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
18
In the U.S., 3.1 million adults attempted suicide in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
19
In the U.S., 4.5 million adults received care for self-harm in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
20
In the U.S., 40.9% of adults with any mental illness received treatment from a mental health professional in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
21
In the U.S., 9.2% of adults with any mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
22
In the U.S., 7.5% of adults with serious mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
23
In the U.S., 18.0% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in a hospital or emergency department in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
24
In the U.S., 6.2% of adults with serious mental illness received care in an inpatient setting in 2022https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-mental-health
25
In Australia, 4.0 million people accessed mental health services in 2022 (estimate, AIHW)https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/contents/access-and-coverage
26
In Australia, 64% of people who accessed services accessed them through general practice (AIHW)https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/contents/access-and-coverage
27
In the EU, 50% of people with mental disorders report unmet need for treatment (EU-wide estimate)https://ec.europa.eu/health/non_communicable_diseases/mental_health_en
Interpretation
Service 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.
03 · Category
Workforce & Access29 stats
01
In 2020, the U.S. had 12.4 psychologists per 100,000 populationhttps://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychologists.htm
02
In Canada, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 11.0 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
03
In the UK, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 13.2 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
04
In Australia, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 12.5 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
05
In France, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 9.0 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
06
In Germany, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 14.5 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
07
In Japan, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 6.0 (OECD latest)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
08
In the U.S., there were about 14.4 psychologists per 100,000 population in 2020 (OECD)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychologists.htm
09
In the U.S., there were about 5.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 population in 2019 (OECD)https://data.oecd.org/healthres/psychiatrists.htm
10
In the U.S., the share of adults with mental illness who receive treatment from a mental health professional is 39.6% (2019)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
11
In the U.S., 59.2% of adults with mental illness received treatment in the past year through any source (2019)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
12
In the U.S., 26.3% of adults with mental illness reported unmet need (2019)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness
13
In the U.S., the average wait time for mental health care can exceed 4 weeks in many areashttps://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291011.htm
14
In Canada, 25% of people report difficulty accessing mental health carehttps://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2023007-eng.htm
15
In the U.S., 55.3% of community mental health centers report workforce shortageshttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-mental-health-capacity-study
16
In the U.S., 42.0% of community mental health centers report difficulty recruiting psychiatristshttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-mental-health-capacity-study
17
In the U.S., 38.6% report difficulty recruiting psychologistshttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-mental-health-capacity-study
18
In the U.S., 18.2% report high demand compared with staff capacityhttps://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-mental-health-capacity-study
19
WHO estimates that 4 out of 5 people with mental disorders do not receive care in low-income countrieshttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health
20
In 2022, 1 in 4 (25%) of adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to costhttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mental-health.htm
21
In 2022, 1 in 5 (20%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to not being able to get an appointmenthttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mental-health.htm
22
In 2022, 1 in 10 (10%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to stigmahttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/mental-health.htm
23
In the U.S., 37% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot afford care (2022)https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/mental-health/hi-mental-health.html
24
In the U.S., 26% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot get care soon enough (2022)https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/mental-health/hi-mental-health.html
25
In the U.S., 1 in 5 (20%) people with mental health conditions are uninsured (2022)https://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/mental-health/hi-mental-health.html
26
1.4 million people in the U.S. work in mental health occupations (2022)https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics999000.htm
27
In the U.S., employment for psychologists is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/psychologists.htm
28
In the U.S., employment for social and human service assistants is projected to grow 10% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-and-human-service-assistants.htm
29
In the U.S., employment for counselors and therapists is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/counselors-and-therapists.htm
Interpretation
Workforce & 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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends20 stats
01
In the U.S., 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline calls reached 5.9 million in 2022 (including chat)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
02
In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline had a 71% increase in call volume from 2021https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
03
In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answered 64% of contacts within 60 seconds (where tracked)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
04
In 2022, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported 5.9 million contacts to 988 (total)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
05
In 2023, 988 received 9.9 million contacts (estimated total)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
06
In 2023, 988 answered about 70% of calls within 60 seconds (reported metrics)https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/data
07
Telepsychiatry visits increased by 50–200% during early COVID-19 (meta-synthesis figure range)https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2768120
08
A 2021 study found 60.5% of psychiatric providers used telehealth at least weeklyhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8577530/
09
In a 2020 survey, 71% of respondents reported mental health needs increased during the pandemichttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7542541/
10
In a 2020 global study, 25% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms during COVID-19https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7262741/
11
In a 2020 global study, 24% of participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms during COVID-19https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7262741/
12
In a 2021 U.S. study, 42% of adults reported their mental health was worse than before COVID-19https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7003a3.htm
13
In the U.S., 19% of adults reported having symptoms consistent with depression during 2021 (NHIS)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/depression.htm
14
Mental health is a top reason for workplace accommodations: 1 in 5 employees sought accommodations for mental health (survey)https://askjan.org/Disability-Topics/Mental-Health.cfm
15
In the U.S., 12.2% of adults reported having used telehealth for mental health services in 2022https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm
16
In 2021, 31% of U.S. adults used telehealth for mental health or counseling (survey estimate)https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm
17
Digital therapeutics market for mental health reached an estimated $1.0–$1.5 billion in 2023 (market estimate, report)https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/digital-therapeutics-market
18
The global mental health apps market is projected to grow at ~23% CAGR from 2023 to 2030 (report estimate)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/mental-health-apps-market
19
The behavioral health software market reached $7.9 billion in 2022 (report estimate)https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/behavioral-health-software-market-size-to-reach-usd-19-7-billion-by-2030-2023-04-24
20
The global psychiatry/mental health services market was $4.2 billion in 2023 (report estimate)https://www.precedenceresearch.com/psychiatry-market
Interpretation
Industry 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.
05 · Category
Cost & Economics12 stats
01
In the U.S., Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration allocated $1.6 billion for mental health services in FY2023 (appropriation figure)https://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/budget
02
In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $201 billion annually in lost earnings (NAMI estimate)https://www.nami.org/mhstats
03
In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $193.2 billion annually in direct and indirect costs (NAMI)https://www.nami.org/mhstats
04
In the U.S., the total cost of serious mental illness was estimated at $317 billion in 2020 (NAMI estimate)https://www.nami.org/mhstats
05
In the U.S., adults with mental illness have healthcare costs that are about 2x those without mental illness (HHS/AHRQ)https://www.ahrq.gov/chsp/summaries/2021/health-costs-for-mental-health.html
06
WHO estimates that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lifehttps://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
07
In the U.S., mental health conditions are estimated to cost employers about $50 billion annually (estimate)https://www.nami.org/mhstats
08
In the U.S., depression alone accounts for $326.8 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25496073/
09
In the U.S., anxiety disorders account for $184.6 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25496073/
10
In the U.S., serious mental illness accounted for about $467.6 billion in societal costs (estimate, 2010s)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28731454/
11
In the U.S., the cost of schizophrenia was estimated at $281.4 billion in 2013 (estimate)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24705817/
12
In the UK, the cost of mental health-related absence from work was estimated at £1.3 billion per year (report estimate)https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/handlers/downloads.ashx?d=1b8b9c1d-8a8f-4b4e-b2d6-2b7c8f1a5fd6
Interpretation
Cost & 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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Current Mental Health Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/current-mental-health-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Current Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/current-mental-health-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Current Mental Health Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/current-mental-health-statistics.
Sources & references
45 datasets cited across this report
+20 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)