Research reveals that nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide suffer from mental disorders, marking a 95.5% increase in 2023 compared to 1990. Anxiety and depression have surged the most, with the COVID-19 pandemic further intensifying the global mental health crisis.
On 22 May 2026, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, USA, published a study in the medical journal The Lancet. It reported that in 2023, nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide experienced mental disorders, a 95.5% rise from 1990. This reflects a worsening global mental health burden. The study found anxiety and depression to be the most common and fastest-growing mental health problems, with anxiety increasing by 158% and depression by 131% compared to over 30 years ago.
The study also covered 12 other mental disorders, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, eating disorders, and intellectual disabilities of unknown cause. All showed increasing trends. Although anorexia, bulimia, and schizophrenia are less common, in 2023 there were about 4 million, 14 million, and 26 million cases respectively.
The research team identified differences in age, gender, and social factors across 204 countries and territories worldwide. Women tend to face more mental health issues than men in many disorders, while autism, ADHD, behavioral disorders, and personality disorders are more common in males.
One of the researchers' greatest concerns is that people aged 15-19 have become the most affected age group by mental health issues, marking the first time in the history of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study that this group surpassed middle-aged adults, who previously bore the highest burden.
The study also pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a factor worsening mental health problems. Depression rates rose during the pandemic and have not returned to pre-COVID levels, while anxiety surged and remained high through 2023. However, some experts warn that underreporting of mental illness persists globally, so actual numbers may be higher. Nonetheless, this dataset is considered the most comprehensive and accurate available today.
Source: CNN