Mental disorders have more than doubled globally since 1990 and are now the leading cause of disability worldwide, overtaking cardiovascular disease, cancer and musculoskeletal conditions, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet. The study estimates that nearly 1.2 billion people were living with a mental disorder in 2023, with anxiety and depression driving much of this surge and young people and women carrying a disproportionate share of the burden.
Researchers from the University of Queensland, the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and the University of Washington analysed Global Burden of Disease 2023 data for 12 mental disorders, including anxiety, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and eating disorders. Mental disorders accounted for over 17 per cent of all years lived with disability in 2023, making them the single largest contributor to non-fatal health loss across countries, regardless of income level or health system strength.
The gender and age patterns are particularly stark. In 2023, about 620 million women were living with a mental disorder compared with 552 million men, with women showing higher rates of anxiety and depression, while boys and young men were more affected by neurodevelopmental and behavioural disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorder and autism. The global burden peaked in the 15- to 19-year-old age group, underscoring the need for early prevention, school- and community-based interventions and youth-focused mental health services.
India reflects and amplifies some of these trends. The age-standardised prevalence of anxiety disorders across both sexes rose from roughly 2,592 per 100,000 population in 1990 to about 5,793 per 100,000 in 2023, an increase of 123.5 per cent. Among women, anxiety prevalence climbed by 136.7 per cent over this period, compared with a 102 per cent rise among men, pointing to a widening gender gap in mental health needs and the urgency of integrating gender-sensitive approaches into national programmes.
Experts behind the study link these rising trends to both the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and deeper structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, abuse, violence and eroding social connectedness. They warn that current responses remain inadequate and call for sustained investment in mental health systems, expanded access to timely and affordable care, and stronger surveillance, especially in low- and middle-income countries, to track needs and outcomes. A 2025 World Health Organization analysis of global health estimates similarly found that more than 1 billion people were living with a mental health condition in 2021, with anxiety and depressive disorders accounting for about two-thirds of all cases, reinforcing the case for treating mental health as a core public health priority rather than an afterthought.
