Mental-Health Disorders Have Double Since 1990, Now Affect 1.2 Billion Worldwide

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Over a billion people worldwide are now living with a mental disorder, double the number recorded in 1990.

The rise has made mental disorders the leading cause of disability globally, more than heart disease and cancer.

The rise is charted in a new study published in The Lancet, which notes that mental disorders disproportionately impact those aged 15-19 and women.

The researchers looked at data for 12 mental disorders covering both sexes, 25 age groups, 21 regions and 204 countries worldwide.

“These rising trends may reflect both the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and longer-term structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, abuse, violence, and declining social connectedness,” said first author Dr. Damian Santomauro.

“Addressing this growing challenge will require sustained investment in mental health systems, expanded access to care, and coordinated global action to better support populations most at risk.”

Medical Xpress reports, “Mental disorders burden increased in every region of the world between 1990 and 2023, though the scale and pattern of that burden differ substantially across regions and levels of development.

“High-income regions such as Australasia and Western Europe recorded some of the highest burden rates globally, particularly in countries like the Netherlands, Portugal, and Australia. Large increases in mental disorder burden rates were also observed in Western sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia.”

In 2023, mental disorders accounted for 171 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) worldwide, a measure of health loss that combines years lived with disability and years of life lost due to an early death.

Mental disorders totalled 17% of all DALYs worldwide.

Recent increases have been driven by anxiety disorders and depression. Since 2019, the prevalence of major depressive disorder has risen by around 24% and anxiety disorders, 47%.

Women have a higher overall burden of mental disorders.

In 2023, 620 million women worldwide had mental disorders, compared to 552 million men.

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