Mental illness is a highly prevalent, life-threatening disease that affects millions of people around the world. It is a disease that:
- Strikes people of all ethnic groups, religions and economic brackets.
- Strikes the young, and often goes undiagnosed and untreated for many years.
- Threatens lives everywhere: in America, more people die from suicide than from cancer, homicide or HIV/AIDS.
- Has a significant impact on human productivity, causing as many lost days of work as cancer, heart attacks or back pain.
- Has a staggering impact on the global economy.
However, mental illness IS treatable. There is hope for people who have it.
- People can recover from mental illness with good treatment and, most importantly, a reliable support system of other people.
- The emergence of Clubhouses in many countries around the world are demonstrating that people with mental illness can successfully participate in society through education, employment and other social activities.
- Accredited Clubhouses offer people who have mental illness hope and opportunities to achieve their full potential.
Mental Illness Affects Lives and Livelihoods
Disability and mortality resulting from mental illness around the world may be underestimated by more than a third
it’s been estimated that mental illness for 21.2% of years of life lived with disability worldwide.
But a new analysis suggests mental illness may account for 32.4% of the burden.
10%
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NEW statistics suggest mental illness may account for 32.4% of the global burden of mental illness vs. 21.2% previously estimated—more than a third higher.
Source: Vigo D, Thornicroft G, Atun R. Estimating the True Global Burden of Mental Illness. Lancet Psychiatry. 2016; 3: 171-78.
Top ten sources of time lost to disability globally from all medical causes by percentage
Mental and behavioral disorders26%
Musculoskeletal diseases14%
Neurological and sense-organ conditions13%
Infectious diseases8%
Nutritional deficiencies7%
Respiratory diseases7%
Injuries6%
Endocrine, blood, and immune disorders; diabetes4%
Cardiovascular diseases3%
Genitourinary diseases3%
Mental and behavioral disorders account for the most time lost to disability—more than any other kind of disease.
Source: World Health Organization, 2012.
Recent Research Demonstrates the Impact of Mental Illness
- Mental illness is a highly prevalent, life-threatening disease that affects millions of people all around the world.
- Mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes or heart disease.1
- By 2020, behavioral health disorders will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability worldwide.2
- One in four people – about 450 million people worldwide – suffer from mental disorders in both developed and developing countries,1 including:
- 60 million from bi-polar disorder; and
- 21 million from schizophrenia
- Mental illness strikes the young and often goes undiagnosed and untreated for many years.
- 50% of those who will ever be diagnosed with a mental disorder show signs of the disease by age 14, 75% by age 25.1
- Few get help: 76-85% of serious cases went untreated in low and middle income countries, 35-50% of cases in high income countries.1
- There are pervasive delays in getting treatment: the median across disorders is about 10 years, contributing to greater severity, co-occurrence of mental illnesses, and lower success rates as people age.1
- Mental illness threatens lives everywhere; suicide claims a life every 90 seconds.
- Every day, nearly 2,200 people in the world − some 800,000 each year − commit suicide.1
- In 90% of suicides, mental illness is the attributing cause.2
- Globally, more than twice as many people die from suicide as die from homicide each year.1
- Suicide is the second-largest source of mortality for people aged 15-29, topped only by traffic accidents.
- Mental illness has a significant impact on human productivity.
- Mental illnesses and behavioral disorders account for 26% of the time lost to disability – significantly more than any other kind of disease. 1 2
- Mental illness has a staggering impact on the global economy: about $2.5 trillion/year today.
- By 2030, that amount will increase to around $6 trillion a year – more than heart disease and more than cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases combined. 1
- Mental disorders often lead to other health and societal problems – HIV, heart and pulmonary diseases, diabetes and increased risk of homelessness, poverty, incarceration or institutionalization – further adding to the economic burden.
- There are inadequate resources available for combating mental illness, despite its huge impact on human productivity and life.
- At the government level, mental illness accounts for over 20% of all health care costs globally, but the median amount that countries spend on mental health equals less than 3% of the median they spend for all health care.1,2 Many countries have no dedicated mental health care budget at all. 1
- At the philanthropic level, the stigma associated with mental illness creates a vicious cycle of alienation and discrimination, resulting in social/political isolation and inadequate treatment approaches and resources within the community.
- Despite a higher death rate, mental illnesses receive a fraction of the charitable donations made to combat cancer or HIV/AIDS.
- There is hope for people living with mental illness.
- Mental disorders can now be diagnosed as reliably and accurately as the most common physical disorders; some can be prevented, all can be successfully managed and treated.
- People can regain their mental health, but not with medication alone. With the right treatment and support, recovery is possible.
- Thousands of good examples exist around the world of people with mental illness not only becoming integrated into their communities, but also playing a socially productive and economically important role. 1