Mental Health Issues
An overview of the most common mental health issues.
Overview
Mental health issues are common. They can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, social status, or ethnicity. The prevalence of mental health disorders globally underscores their significance.
Mental health issues encompass a wide range, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors. These can intermittently or persistently impact emotions, thinking, and behavior, affecting daily functioning and quality of life. Below you will find a list of the most common ones.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally 1 out of every 4 people will be impacted by mental illness at some point in their lives. 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. (source)
Anxiety
4% of the global population currently experience an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety is a common and often chronic condition characterized by excessive worry and fear about everyday situations. It can cause significant interference with daily activities and relationships.
- Persistent worry or anxiety about a variety of topics, events, or activities.
- Physical symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, and muscle tension.
- Difficulty controlling the worry, often leading to avoidance of stressful situations.
Depression
280 million people worldwide suffer from depression.
Depression is more than just feeling sad; it’s a serious mental health condition that affects one’s emotions, thoughts, and actions. It can diminish a person’s ability to function at work and home, and significantly impact quality of life.
- Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.
- Changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, and loss of energy.
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions.
PTSD
Around 3.6% of the global population has experienced PTSD.
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. It’s characterized by intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to the trauma that persist long after the event has ended.
- Reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks, nightmares, and severe emotional distress or physical reactions to reminders of the trauma.
- Avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or conversations related to the traumatic event, and avoidance of places, activities, or people that trigger memories of the trauma.
Other common mentall health issues.
| Mental Health Issue | Description | Prevalence | Symptoms | Treatment Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADHD | A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. | Common in children and adolescents, persists into adulthood in about a third of cases. | Difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity. | Behavioral therapy, medication, psychoeducation. |
| Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD) | Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. | Less common, affecting about 2.5% of the population. | Avoidance of social interactions, fear of rejection, low self-esteem. | Psychotherapy (especially cognitive-behavioral therapy), medication for related conditions like anxiety. |
| Bipolar Disorder | Extreme mood swings including emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). | Affects about 1% of the global population. | Euphoria or irritability, depressive episodes, rapid speech, impulsive behavior. | Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, psychotherapy. |
| Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) | Intense, unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, and emotions. | Estimated to affect about 1.6% of adults in the U.S. | Impulsive actions, mood swings, fear of abandonment, difficulty managing anger. | Dialectical behavior therapy, psychotherapy, medication for mood swings or depression. |
| Cyclothymic Disorder (Cyclothymia) | Chronic, fluctuating mood disorder with periods of hypomania and mild depression. | Affects about 0.4-1% of the population. | Mood swings, periods of elevated mood, and periods of depression. | Lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and sometimes medication. |
| Delusional Disorder | Presence of one or more delusions for at least one month. | Relatively rare, affecting an estimated 0.2% of the population. | Non-bizarre delusions, irritability, anger, and low mood. | Antipsychotic medication, psychotherapy, and supportive therapy. |
| Dependent Personality Disorder (DPD) | Excessive dependency on others and an urgent need to be taken care of. | Affects about 0.5% of the general population. | Difficulty making decisions alone, avoidance of personal responsibility, extreme fear of abandonment. | Psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, and building coping skills. |
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) | Excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday things. | Common, affecting about 3.1% of the U.S. population in any given year. | Restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, sleep disturbance. | Cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, and relaxation techniques. |
| Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) | Recurrent episodes of aggressive, violent behavior and angry verbal outbursts. | Estimated to affect around 2.7% of the population. | Sudden episodes of unwarranted anger, physical aggression, verbal outbursts. | Psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, and sometimes medication. |