The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing conducted in 2021 found that an estimated 1 in 5 (21%) Australians aged 16–85 experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months (ABS 2022a).
Over 2 in 5 (44%, or 8.6 million) Australians aged 16–85 are estimated to have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life, with 1 in 5 (21%, or 4.2 million) having experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months.
It found that, among Australians aged 16–85, 15% experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress. Females aged 16–34 were more likely to experience psychological distress than males of this age group (26% compared to 14%) (ABS 2022a).
1 in every 5 Australians — about 4 million people — suffers from a mental illness in a given year, and almost half the population has suffered a mental disorder at some time in their life. There are many different types of mental illness. The most common are depression, anxiety and substance use disorders.
50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24. 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem3, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.
Mental illness in Australia
Mental illness is very common. One in five (20%) Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year. The most common mental illnesses are depressive, anxiety and substance use disorder.
About half of all mental illnesses appear before the age of 14, and 75 percent develop by age 24. The current understanding of mental illness among medical professionals is that a complex combination of genetics, environment, and family history can put a person at greater risk for a mental illness.
Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age. Some mood changes and depressed feelings occur with normal hormonal changes.
Anxiety disorders was the most prevalent disorder group among females, and more common in the 12–17 years age group.
When the data from all 192 studies were integrated, the authors found that the peak age of onset for mental disorders was 14.5 years. About 34.6 percent of patients showed a disorder before the age of 14, 48.4 percent before the age of 18, and 62.5 percent before the age of 25 years.
Stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental illness are prevalent in Australia [1]. While there have been some improvements in community understanding of common mental illnesses (particularly depression and anxiety), there is still widespread misunderstanding and ignorance [2, 3].
Not only did we rank 32 out of 38 overall, but when it comes to the mental health of our children, we're doing even worse – 35 out of 38 countries.
You might worry that you could develop or 'catch' the same illness as your ill parent – but you cannot catch a mental illness from anyone. People might say 'it runs in families' or talk about the genetics or genes causing the illness.
There are a number of groups that are considered vulnerable populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, the economically disadvantaged, and those with chronic health conditions. For vulnerable populations, their health and healthcare issues may be exacerbated by social factors.
Conclusion. Broadly speaking the target audience for mental health campaigns includes adults between 18 and 34 years of age and adolescents. It also includes parents and school administrations of adolescents.
Specific diagnoses
Mixed anxiety and depression: 8 in 100 people. Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD): 6 in 100 people. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 4 in 100 people.
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the United States. More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.
Adult Prevalence of Mental Illness (AMI) 2022
19.86% of adults are experiencing a mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans. 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness.
At What Age Is Depression Most Common? According to CDC data from 2019, 21% of adults experiencing any depressive symptoms in the most recent two weeks were between 18 and 29 years old. This incidence is the largest among all adult age groups.
The burden associated with common mental disorders (depressive and anxiety disorders) rises abruptly in childhood (1-10 yr) and peaks in adolescence and early to middle age (10-29 yr).