Global health leaders are sounding the alarm over a growing mental health crisis as the World Health Organization (World Health Organization) meets in Geneva for its 79th World Health Assembly, where mental health is one of more than 75 agenda items under discussion.
The WHO says more than one billion people worldwide about one in every eight individuals are currently living with a mental health condition, and the number continues to rise.
Experts say young people are among the most affected, while men record higher suicide rates globally and women experience higher levels of anxiety and depression. Despite this, mental health services remain severely underfunded, with many countries allocating only about two percent of their health budgets to the sector.
Mental health disorders include a wide range of conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, and substance use conditions. These illnesses affect how people think, feel, and function in daily life.
WHO data shows regional prevalence varies, with the highest rates recorded in the Americas at about 15.6 percent, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, while Africa records the lowest at 10.9 percent.
Financial inequality remains stark. In low-income countries, governments spend as little as four cents per person on mental health care, compared to nearly 66 dollars in high-income countries, according to the WHO Mental Health Atlas.
The COVID-19 pandemic further worsened the situation, with global cases of anxiety and depression rising sharply. Depression and anxiety remain the leading contributors to disability worldwide, accounting for hundreds of disability-adjusted life years per 100,000 people.
The burden is also reflected in suicide statistics. According to global health studies, around 740,000 people die by suicide every year about one death every 43 seconds. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29, with men four times more likely to die by suicide than women.
Health experts warn that mental health conditions are now among the leading causes of long-term disability globally, contributing to one in every six years lived with disability worldwide.
As discussions continue in Geneva, the WHO is calling for urgent investment, expanded services, and stronger global cooperation to address what it describes as one of the most underfunded but widespread health challenges of the modern era.
