More than one billion people worldwide are affected by mental health disorders, with conditions like anxiety and depression inflicting severe human and economic costs, according to new data from the World Health Organisation (WHO). In two major reports—World Mental Health Today and the Mental Health Atlas 2024—the agency stated that while many countries have strengthened policies, far greater global investment and action are urgently needed to expand access to care. The findings are intended to shape national strategies and inform discussions at the upcoming UN High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases and mental health in September 2025.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called transforming mental health services “one of the most pressing public health challenges,” emphasizing that investment in this area is an essential commitment to people, communities, and economies. The reports highlight that mental health conditions affect individuals of all ages and income levels in every country, with anxiety and depression being the most common. These disorders are now the second leading cause of long-term disability globally, disproportionately impacting women and contributing to staggering economic losses.
The human toll is devastating, with suicide remaining a leading cause of death, particularly among young people. An estimated 727,000 suicide deaths were recorded in 2021, and current projections show only a 12% decline by 2030—far short of the UN Sustainable Development Goal of a one-third reduction. The economic burden is equally alarming, with anxiety and depression alone costing the global economy an estimated $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, in addition to direct healthcare costs.
Despite some progress, services remain critically underfunded and unevenly distributed. Median government spending on mental health has stagnated at just 2% of total health budgets since 2017, with a stark divide between high-income nations spending up to $65 per person and low-income countries spending as little as $0.04. The global shortage of mental health workers is severe, with only 13 professionals per 100,000 people, and fewer than 10% of countries have fully transitioned to community-based care. Treatment gaps are enormous; in low-income countries, fewer than one in ten people with psychosis receive care, compared to over half in wealthier nations.
