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    Global mental health data explained: how many people, what it costs

    WHO estimates that in 2023 nearly 1 in 7 people worldwide, about 1.2 billion, were living with a mental disorder, most often anxiety or depression.[1] Most of them do not get effective care: median government spending on mental health is 2% of health budgets, and fewer than 10% of affected people in low-income countries receive care.[2][3][4]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated ExplainerMental health, Health and medicine, World affairs

    Mental health conditions are among the most common health problems in the world, and the gap between need and care is wide.[1][2] This explainer sets out the main global figures, where they come from and what they leave out. It is general information, not medical advice; talk to a clinician about your own health.

    This page mentions suicide data. If you are struggling: in the US call or text 988 (988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline); in the UK and Ireland call Samaritans on 116 123; elsewhere find a helpline at findahelpline.com.

    How many people are affected

    WHO estimates that in 2023 nearly 1 in 7 people around the world, about 1.2 billion, were living with a mental disorder.[1] The most common were anxiety disorders, affecting 470 million people, and depression, affecting 322 million.[5][6] Young people are affected too: about one in seven 10-19-year-olds has a mental disorder.[7]

    WHO’s mental disorders fact sheet, updated on 11 September 2026, draws its prevalence figures from the 2023 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.[8] It gives 1.2 billion people with a mental disorder in 2023, including 470 million with anxiety disorders (146 million of them children and adolescents) and 322 million with depression (43 million children and adolescents).[1][5][6] WHO’s September 2025 reports, World mental health today and Mental Health Atlas 2024, had put the total at more than 1 billion.[9] WHO says women are disproportionately affected overall.[10]

    Burden: disability, deaths and cost

    WHO describes mental health conditions as the second biggest cause of long-term disability worldwide.[11] The GBD 2019 study found that mental disorders stayed among the ten leading causes of health burden between 1990 and 2019, with no sign of a global decline.[12]

    GBD measures burden in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which combine years lived with disability and years of life lost. GBD 2019 estimated that DALYs from mental disorders rose from 80.8 million in 1990 to 125.3 million in 2019, or from 3.1% to 4.9% of the global total.[13] The authors caution that their estimates of years of life lost are very low and do not capture premature deaths among people with mental disorders.[14]

    WHO estimates that about 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021, and that on current trends the world will cut suicide rates by only 12% by 2030, short of the UN goal of a one-third reduction.[15] Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-29.[16] Suicide is preventable; see suicide prevention explained for what works.

    Depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy about US$1 trillion a year, mostly through lost productivity, according to WHO.[17]

    The care gap

    WHO says effective prevention and treatment exist, but most people with mental disorders cannot get effective care, and many face stigma and discrimination.[2] Its Mental Health Atlas 2024, based on 144 countries, shows why.[18]

    Measure (Mental Health Atlas 2024)Figure
    Median government spending on mental health2% of health budget, unchanged since 2017[3]
    Spending per personUp to US$65 (high-income) vs US$0.04 (low-income)[3]
    Mental health workersMedian 13 per 100,000 people[19]
    People receiving careUnder 10% in low-income countries, over 50% in higher-income ones[4]
    Laws fully meeting human rights standards45% of countries[20]
    Countries fully shifted to community care9%[21]

    There has been progress in some areas. Over 80% of countries now include mental health and psychosocial support in emergency responses, up from 39% in 2020.[22]

    What the data miss

    Global figures are estimates built from surveys and models, not counts of diagnoses. They can differ between sources and editions: WHO’s 2025 reports said “more than 1 billion”, while its 2026 fact sheet, using newer data, says 1.2 billion.[9][1]

    Data gaps are large: only 22 countries gave WHO enough data to estimate service coverage for psychosis.[23] Burden estimates understate mortality, as the GBD authors acknowledge.[14] Figures from different GBD rounds or WHO editions are not directly comparable, which is why this page dates each number.

    Where this fits

    Governments agreed in December 2025 on a UN political declaration that includes a target of 150 million more people with access to mental health care by 2030.[24][25] Follow progress in the mental health policy tracker, and read about the most common conditions in anxiety explained and depression explained. The starting point for this series is mental health awareness explained.

    Next in the crash course

    Questions readers ask

    How many people in the world have a mental disorder?

    WHO estimates that in 2023 nearly 1 in 7 people, about 1.2 billion, were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common.[1]

    How many people have depression or anxiety worldwide?

    WHO puts the 2023 figures at 470 million people with an anxiety disorder and 322 million with depression, including 146 million and 43 million children and adolescents respectively.[5][6]

    How common are mental disorders in teenagers?

    WHO estimates that one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the disease burden in that age group.[7]

    How much do countries spend on mental health?

    WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2024 found median government spending of 2% of health budgets, unchanged since 2017, from up to US$65 per person in high-income countries to US$0.04 in low-income countries.[3]

    Where do these numbers come from?

    WHO's 2026 fact sheet uses the 2023 Global Burden of Disease database from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation; service data come from WHO's Mental Health Atlas survey of 144 countries.[8][18]

    Sources

    · 25 claims from 2 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      WHO estimates that in 2023 nearly 1 in 7 people worldwide, about 1.2 billion, were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    2. [2]

      WHO says effective prevention and treatment exist but most people with mental disorders do not have access to effective care, and many face stigma, discrimination and human rights violations. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    3. [3]

      According to WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2024, median government spending on mental health is 2% of health budgets, unchanged since 2017, ranging from up to US$65 per person in high-income countries to US$0.04 in low-income countries. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    4. [4]

      WHO reports that fewer than 10% of affected people in low-income countries receive mental health care, compared with over 50% in higher-income countries. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    5. [5]

      WHO estimates 470 million people were living with an anxiety disorder in 2023, including 146 million children and adolescents. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    6. [6]

      WHO estimates 322 million people were living with depression in 2023, including 43 million children and adolescents. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    7. [7]

      WHO estimates that one in seven 10-19-year-olds worldwide experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15% of the disease burden in that age group. confirmedas of 2025-09-01

    8. [8]

      WHO's September 2026 mental disorders fact sheet draws its prevalence figures from the 2023 Global Burden of Disease database of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. confirmedas of 2026-09-11

    9. [9]

      In September 2025 WHO reported that more than 1 billion people were living with mental health conditions, in two reports, World mental health today and Mental Health Atlas 2024. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    10. [10]

      WHO's World mental health today report found that women are disproportionately affected by mental health disorders overall. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    11. [11]

      WHO says mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are the second biggest reason for long-term disability worldwide. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    12. [12]

      GBD 2019 found that mental disorders remained among the top ten leading causes of burden worldwide, with no evidence of a global reduction since 1990. confirmedas of 2022-02-01

    13. [13]

      The GBD 2019 study estimated that disability-adjusted life years lost to mental disorders rose from 80.8 million in 1990 to 125.3 million in 2019, and from 3.1% to 4.9% of the global total. confirmedas of 2022-02-01

    14. [14]

      The GBD 2019 authors note that their estimates of years of life lost to mental disorders are very low and do not reflect premature deaths among people with mental disorders. confirmedas of 2022-02-01

    15. [15]

      WHO estimates that suicide claimed about 727,000 lives in 2021 and says current progress would deliver only a 12% cut in suicide rates by 2030, short of the UN goal of one third. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    16. [16]

      WHO lists suicide as the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-29. confirmedas of 2025-09-01

    17. [17]

      WHO estimates that depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy about US$1 trillion a year, mostly through lost productivity. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    18. [18]

      The Mental Health Atlas 2024 compiles findings from 144 countries. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    19. [19]

      The Mental Health Atlas 2024 puts the global median at 13 mental health workers per 100,000 people. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    20. [20]

      Only 45% of countries evaluated their mental health laws as fully compliant with international human rights standards, according to the Mental Health Atlas 2024. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    21. [21]

      WHO's Mental Health Atlas found only 9% of reporting countries had fully shifted to community-based mental health care, 53% were at an early stage of reform, and 28% of psychiatric hospital admissions lasted longer than six months. confirmedas of 2026-10-09

    22. [22]

      Over 80% of countries now include mental health and psychosocial support in emergency responses, up from 39% in 2020, according to WHO. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    23. [23]

      WHO says data gaps remain in the Mental Health Atlas 2024, with only 22 countries providing enough data to estimate service coverage for psychosis. confirmedas of 2025-09-02

    24. [24]

      WHO reported on 16 December 2025 that the UN General Assembly had adopted the political declaration on noncommunicable diseases and mental health, the first such declaration to address both together. confirmedas of 2025-12-16

    25. [25]

      The 2025 political declaration sets a 2030 target of 150 million more people with access to mental health care. confirmedas of 2025-12-16

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Apr 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "Global mental health data explained: how many people, what it costs." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/global-mental-health-data

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

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