What is the difference between mental health and mental illness?

Mental health refers to a state of wellbeing in which a person can cope with normal stresses, work productively and contribute to their community — a positive state, not merely the absence of disorder. Mental illness refers to clinically diagnosable conditions that significantly affect functioning. Good mental health is possible even with a diagnosed condition; poor mental health exists on a spectrum that does not always meet diagnostic criteria.

How common are mental disorders?

The Global Burden of Disease study (2019) estimated that nearly 970 million people — about 1 in 8 globally — live with a mental disorder. Depression affects around 280 million people and anxiety disorders around 301 million. Mental disorders are the leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide.

What causes mental disorders?

Mental disorders have multifactorial causes. Genetic factors explain some variation in risk. Adverse childhood experiences, poverty, discrimination, social isolation, trauma and chronic stress are powerful environmental drivers. Neurobiological factors — changes in brain chemistry and structure — are involved in many conditions. The interaction of genes and environment across the life course shapes mental health outcomes.

Is suicide preventable?

Yes. Evidence shows suicide is preventable through: restricting access to means (medications, pesticides, firearms); responsible media reporting; early identification and treatment of depression; crisis helplines; and reducing stigma so people seek help. The WHO LIVE LIFE implementation guide prioritises suicide prevention as a measurable, achievable target.

Why do 75% of people in LMICs not receive mental health treatment?

The treatment gap reflects multiple failures: severe shortages of mental health professionals; almost all services located in hospitals rather than primary care; mental health budgets below 1% of health spending; persistent stigma preventing help-seeking; and a lack of community-based services. The WHO mhGAP programme demonstrates that trained primary health workers can deliver effective care without specialists.

What is cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)?

CBT is a structured, time-limited psychological treatment with the strongest evidence base of any psychotherapy. It identifies and changes distorted thought patterns and unhelpful behaviours. CBT is effective for depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders and insomnia, and can be delivered by trained non-specialists, digitally or in groups — making it scalable in low-resource settings.

How does mental health affect physical health?

Depression increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. People with severe mental disorders die 10-20 years earlier than the general population, largely from preventable physical diseases. Integrating mental health into primary care and NCD programmes is therefore both clinically and economically rational.

What is the WHO World Mental Health Report 2022?

The WHO World Mental Health Report 2022 is the most comprehensive review of global mental health in two decades. It calls for transforming mental health through: valuing it as a fundamental human right; reshaping environments to protect mental health; strengthening community-based, rights-based care systems; and boosting research and evidence on what works.

What is the stigma around mental health and why does it matter?

Stigma involves stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards people with mental health conditions. It operates at individual, interpersonal and structural levels and delays help-seeking by years, worsens outcomes and isolates people at their most vulnerable. Anti-stigma campaigns involving contact with people with lived experience have measurable positive effects.

How does trauma affect mental health?

Exposure to traumatic events — violence, sexual abuse, conflict, disasters — significantly raises the risk of PTSD, depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Children experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) face lifelong elevated mental and physical health risks. Trauma-informed care is now considered an essential component of mental health systems.

What is the Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030?

The WHO Mental Health Action Plan (extended to 2030) sets global targets: a 20% increase in service coverage; a 10% reduction in suicide rates; and integration of mental health into primary health care. It provides a framework for national policies, legislation, plans and services — though progress remains slower than needed due to underfunding.

How does GMJ News cover mental health?

GMJ News reports on WHO Action Plan milestones, research breakthroughs, MHPSS guidelines in humanitarian settings, and the equity dimensions of mental health care. Georgia faces significant mental health challenges linked to post-Soviet transition, labour emigration and conflict-related displacement, all covered in the Georgian Medical Journal.

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Mental Health

GMJ News knowledge hub · last reviewed September 2026 · Georgian Medical Journal

Summary Statistics Glossary GMJ news FAQ Documents Organizations Research

Nearly one billion people — about 1 in 8 worldwide — live with a mental disorder (WHO World Mental Health Report 2022), with anxiety and depression the most common; depression is a leading cause of disability, and an estimated 12 billion working days are lost to depression and anxiety every year. The treatment gap remains vast, especially in low-resource settings — the focus of the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 and the mhGAP programme for integrating mental health into primary care.

Key messages

Scale

Nearly 1 billion people — 1 in 8 globally — live with a mental disorder. Depression and anxiety are the most common, affecting hundreds of millions each (WHO World Mental Health Report 2022).

Funding gap

Mental health receives only 2% of national health budgets on average. Up to 75% of people with mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment at all.

Physical health link

Mental disorders increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes; physical illness increases the risk of depression and anxiety. Integration of mental and physical health care is essential.

Suicide

More than 700,000 people die by suicide every year — the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. Suicide is preventable with timely, evidence-based intervention.

Human rights

People with mental disorders frequently experience coercive treatment, restraint, abuse and discrimination. The UN CRPD is the key legal framework for rights-based mental health care.

Treatment works

Effective treatments exist for all major mental disorders — cognitive-behavioural therapy, antidepressants, antipsychotics and community-based care demonstrably reduce disability when implemented at scale.

Key statistics

970M

people with mental disorder

GBD 2019

1 in 8

globally affected

WHO 2022

of health budgets

WHO Atlas 2020

700K

suicide deaths/year

WHO

75%

untreated in LMICs

WHO 2022

cause of disability globally

GBD 2019

Mental health budget as % of total health expenditure by income group — WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020

Source: WHO Mental Health Atlas 2020. Median values by World Bank income classification. WHO target shown for reference.

Glossary of key terms

Mental disorder
WHO ICD-11A clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotional regulation or behaviour reflecting a dysfunction in psychological or biological processes underlying mental functioning.

Depression
WHO ICD-11A common mental disorder characterised by persistent sadness, loss of interest, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of worthlessness and poor concentration. A leading cause of disability globally.

Anxiety disorder
WHO ICD-11A group of conditions including generalised anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety and phobias — characterised by excessive fear or worry that impairs daily functioning.

PTSD
ICD-11/DSM-5Post-traumatic stress disorder — develops after exposure to extremely threatening events. Characterised by intrusive memories, avoidance, hyperarousal and negative mood.

Psychosis
WHO ICD-11A loss of contact with reality — including hallucinations, delusions and disorganised thinking. Schizophrenia is the most recognised psychotic disorder.

Mental health parity
WHO/UN CRPDThe principle that mental health conditions should receive the same urgency, resources and insurance coverage as physical health conditions.