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 depression
02
284 million people worldwide were affected by depression in 2020
03
379 million people worldwide were affected by anxiety disorders in 2020
04
121.9 million people worldwide were affected by bipolar disorder in 2020
05
24.2 million people worldwide were affected by schizophrenia in 2020
06
45 million people worldwide were affected by eating disorders in 2020
07
3.1% of the global population experienced anxiety disorders in 2019
08
3.8% of the global population experienced depressive disorders in 2019
09
7.2% of the global population experienced alcohol use disorder in 2019
10
5.6% of the global population experienced drug use disorders in 2019
11
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide among mental disorders
12
Anxiety disorders rank among the leading causes of disability globally
13
Worldwide, 970 million people live with a mental disorder
14
In the U.S., 19.86% of adults reported any mental illness in 2022
15
In the U.S., 14.22% of adults reported serious mental illness in 2022
16
In the U.S., 4.37% of adults reported suicidal thoughts in 2022
17
In the U.S., 5.00% of adults reported having a major depressive episode in 2022
18
In the U.S., 7.7% of adults reported an anxiety disorder in 2022
19
In the U.S., 7.0% of adults reported having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2022
20
In the U.S., 11.6% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2022
21
In the U.S., 16.5% of adolescents aged 12–17 experienced a mental health condition in 2022
22
In the U.S., 6.7% of adolescents aged 12–17 reported serious mental illness in 2022
23
In the U.S., 15.0% of adults with mental illness did not receive any mental health treatment in 2022
24
In the U.S., 2.7% of adults reported non-suicidal self-injury in 2022
25
In the U.S., 29.7% of adults with serious mental illness experienced unmet need for mental health treatment in 2022
26
In the U.S., 7.7% of adults had serious thoughts of suicide in 2022
27
Globally, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds
28
Suicide accounts for 1.3% of all deaths worldwide
29
700,000 people die by suicide every year worldwide
30
10–20 million people worldwide attempt suicide each year
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 2021
02
In the U.S., 21.1% of adults reported taking medication for mental health in 2021
03
In the U.S., 49.3% of adults with any mental illness received treatment in the past year (2019–2022 estimate)
04
In the U.S., 65% of adults with major depression did not receive mental health treatment in 2019–2022
05
In the U.S., 55.1% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in the past year
06
In Australia, 1 in 3 people who need mental health services do not receive them
07
In OECD countries, the average share of people who received mental health care when needed is about 40%
08
In France, 45% of people with depression receive treatment
09
In Spain, 34% of people with depression receive treatment
10
In Italy, 31% of people with depression receive treatment
11
In the U.S., there were 6.5 million adults with serious mental illness in 2022
12
In the U.S., there were 52.9 million adults with any mental illness in 2022
13
In the U.S., 33.7 million adults received mental health treatment in 2022
14
In the U.S., 19.4 million adults had major depressive episode in 2022
15
In the U.S., 30.0 million adults had anxiety disorder in 2022
16
In the U.S., 2.8 million adults had bipolar disorder in 2022
17
In the U.S., 6.5 million adults reported PTSD in 2022
18
In the U.S., 3.1 million adults attempted suicide in 2022
19
In the U.S., 4.5 million adults received care for self-harm in 2022
20
In the U.S., 40.9% of adults with any mental illness received treatment from a mental health professional in 2022
21
In the U.S., 9.2% of adults with any mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022
22
In the U.S., 7.5% of adults with serious mental illness used telehealth for mental health in 2022
23
In the U.S., 18.0% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in a hospital or emergency department in 2022
24
In the U.S., 6.2% of adults with serious mental illness received care in an inpatient setting in 2022
25
In Australia, 4.0 million people accessed mental health services in 2022 (estimate, AIHW)
26
In Australia, 64% of people who accessed services accessed them through general practice (AIHW)
27
In the EU, 50% of people with mental disorders report unmet need for treatment (EU-wide estimate)
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 population
02
In Canada, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 11.0 (OECD latest)
03
In the UK, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 13.2 (OECD latest)
04
In Australia, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 12.5 (OECD latest)
05
In France, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 9.0 (OECD latest)
06
In Germany, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 14.5 (OECD latest)
07
In Japan, psychiatrists per 100,000 population are about 6.0 (OECD latest)
08
In the U.S., there were about 14.4 psychologists per 100,000 population in 2020 (OECD)
09
In the U.S., there were about 5.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 population in 2019 (OECD)
10
In the U.S., the share of adults with mental illness who receive treatment from a mental health professional is 39.6% (2019)
11
In the U.S., 59.2% of adults with mental illness received treatment in the past year through any source (2019)
12
In the U.S., 26.3% of adults with mental illness reported unmet need (2019)
13
In the U.S., the average wait time for mental health care can exceed 4 weeks in many areas
14
In Canada, 25% of people report difficulty accessing mental health care
15
In the U.S., 55.3% of community mental health centers report workforce shortages
16
In the U.S., 42.0% of community mental health centers report difficulty recruiting psychiatrists
17
In the U.S., 38.6% report difficulty recruiting psychologists
18
In the U.S., 18.2% report high demand compared with staff capacity
19
WHO estimates that 4 out of 5 people with mental disorders do not receive care in low-income countries
20
In 2022, 1 in 4 (25%) of adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to cost
21
In 2022, 1 in 5 (20%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to not being able to get an appointment
22
In 2022, 1 in 10 (10%) adults in the U.S. delayed mental health care due to stigma
23
In the U.S., 37% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot afford care (2022)
24
In the U.S., 26% of people with mental health conditions report that they cannot get care soon enough (2022)
25
In the U.S., 1 in 5 (20%) people with mental health conditions are uninsured (2022)
26
1.4 million people in the U.S. work in mental health occupations (2022)
27
In the U.S., employment for psychologists is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)
28
In the U.S., employment for social and human service assistants is projected to grow 10% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)
29
In the U.S., employment for counselors and therapists is projected to grow 5% from 2022 to 2032 (BLS projection)
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)
02
In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline had a 71% increase in call volume from 2021
03
In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline answered 64% of contacts within 60 seconds (where tracked)
04
In 2022, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported 5.9 million contacts to 988 (total)
05
In 2023, 988 received 9.9 million contacts (estimated total)
06
In 2023, 988 answered about 70% of calls within 60 seconds (reported metrics)
07
Telepsychiatry visits increased by 50–200% during early COVID-19 (meta-synthesis figure range)
08
A 2021 study found 60.5% of psychiatric providers used telehealth at least weekly
09
In a 2020 survey, 71% of respondents reported mental health needs increased during the pandemic
10
In a 2020 global study, 25% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms during COVID-19
11
In a 2020 global study, 24% of participants reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms during COVID-19
12
In a 2021 U.S. study, 42% of adults reported their mental health was worse than before COVID-19
13
In the U.S., 19% of adults reported having symptoms consistent with depression during 2021 (NHIS)
14
Mental health is a top reason for workplace accommodations: 1 in 5 employees sought accommodations for mental health (survey)
15
In the U.S., 12.2% of adults reported having used telehealth for mental health services in 2022
16
In 2021, 31% of U.S. adults used telehealth for mental health or counseling (survey estimate)
17
Digital therapeutics market for mental health reached an estimated $1.0–$1.5 billion in 2023 (market estimate, report)
18
The global mental health apps market is projected to grow at ~23% CAGR from 2023 to 2030 (report estimate)
19
The behavioral health software market reached $7.9 billion in 2022 (report estimate)
20
The global psychiatry/mental health services market was $4.2 billion in 2023 (report estimate)
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)
02
In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $201 billion annually in lost earnings (NAMI estimate)
03
In the U.S., mental illness is estimated to cost $193.2 billion annually in direct and indirect costs (NAMI)
04
In the U.S., the total cost of serious mental illness was estimated at $317 billion in 2020 (NAMI estimate)
05
In the U.S., adults with mental illness have healthcare costs that are about 2x those without mental illness (HHS/AHRQ)
06
WHO estimates that 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition at some point in their life
07
In the U.S., mental health conditions are estimated to cost employers about $50 billion annually (estimate)
08
In the U.S., depression alone accounts for $326.8 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)
09
In the U.S., anxiety disorders account for $184.6 billion in total societal costs (estimate, 2010s)
10
In the U.S., serious mental illness accounted for about $467.6 billion in societal costs (estimate, 2010s)
11
In the U.S., the cost of schizophrenia was estimated at $281.4 billion in 2013 (estimate)
12
In the UK, the cost of mental health-related absence from work was estimated at £1.3 billion per year (report estimate)
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 · attribution is report-level
+20 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)