More Than 1 Billion People Live with Mental Health Conditions | Two WHO Reports

October 10 is World Mental Health Day. In September 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released two reports, “World mental health today” and “Mental Health Atlas 2024.” We read the global picture that emerges from them through the numbers.

More than 1 billion people

According to the WHO, more than 1 billion people worldwide live with mental health conditions. The most common are anxiety disorders and depression, and mental health conditions are considered the second leading cause of long-term disability in daily life. Productivity losses from depression and anxiety are estimated at around 1 trillion dollars a year for the global economy.

Budgets remain at “2%”

Meanwhile, government spending on mental health accounts for a median of 2% of national health budgets. This has changed little since 2017. Workforce gaps are also large: in low-income countries, there are only slightly more than 1 mental health professional per 100,000 people, compared with more than 60 in high-income countries.

WHO reports (September 2025)
・People living with mental health conditions: more than 1 billion
・The most common are anxiety disorders and depression
・Mental health spending as a share of health budgets: median 2% (flat since 2017)
・Professionals: about 1 in low-income countries / more than 60 in high-income countries (per 100,000 people)

Starting close to home

The WHO is calling on countries to expand support available in local communities and broaden initiatives in workplaces and schools. For daily sleep and lifestyle rhythms, Sleep Guidelines for Health Promotion 2023 is also useful. If distress continues, please do not carry it alone; consult a medical institution or your local government’s counseling service.

Reference: World Health Organization (WHO), “World mental health today” and “Mental Health Atlas 2024” (September 2025)

※This article introduces statistics and system information published by public institutions and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any specific disease. If you have health concerns, please consult a medical institution.

—The Value Village Editorial Team