Diseases & conditions

Study: Mental Disorders Have Doubled Globally Since 1990

Is the mental health crisis a genuine global emergency demanding urgent action or a data-driven overestimation requiring scrutiny?

Published MAY 25

Study: Mental Disorders Have Doubled Globally Since 1990

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The Facts

A recent study published in The Lancet has found that nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide were living with a mental disorder in 2023, almost double the 599 million cases recorded in 1990 — a rise of roughly 95.5% over three decades.
CNN
ABC Australia
The Lancet
Mental disorders accounted for 171 million disability-adjusted life years globally in 2023, making them the fifth-leading cause of total disease burden, up from 12th place in 1990, and the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide.
The Lancet
India Today
Since 2019, the age-standardized prevalence of anxiety disorders rose by more than 47% and major depressive disorder increased by around 24%, with both conditions peaking in the years following the COVID pandemic.
EurekAlert!
News Medical
The study found mental disorder burden was highest among people aged 15 to 19, marking the first time in the Global Burden of Disease study history that the peak has shifted to that age group rather than middle age.
CNN
University of Queensland
In 2023, 620 million women worldwide were reportedly living with a mental disorder compared to 552 million men, while women accounted for 92.6 million DALYs versus 78.6 million among men, indicating a higher overall burden.
Healthdata
ABC Australia
Global Burden of Disease data show that about 9% of people with major depressive disorder receive minimally adequate treatment, while fewer than 5% receive adequate care in 90 countries. Only a handful of high-income nations, including Australia, Canada and the Netherlands, report treatment coverage above 30%.
EurekAlert!
India Today

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The Spin

Narrative A

Mental disorders are now the single largest driver of disability, surpassing heart disease and cancer, and no region has been spared. Over 1.17 billion people are living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression surging 47% and 24% respectively since 2019. The burden peaks among adolescents aged 15-19, and sustained investment in mental health systems is urgently needed to meet this global crisis.

Alex Jones Live

Massimo on X

Narrative B

This study deserves serious scrutiny before driving sweeping policy changes. Seventy-five countries lack their own data, forcing researchers to rely on extrapolated models, and most surveys predate the pandemic, making recent trends unreliable. Substance use disorders and suicide mortality are excluded entirely, meaning the study's scope is too narrow to accurately reflect the true mental health burden.