Dimensions of Mental Health

• The Global Burden of Disease Study thus showed the true magnitude of the long underestimated impact of mental health problems.
Further, by the year 2020, mental disorders are projected to increase, and major depression is predicted to become the second
leading cause in disease burden worldwide. The Global Burden of Disease Study has thus been eye opening in regard to public health
in terms of mainstreaming mental health and highlighting the public significance of mental disorders.

What mental health and substance use challenges look like in 2020:
• In late June, 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use.
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.
• Half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
• Depression alone costs the nation about $210.5 billion annually.
• The average delay bet onset of mental illness and treatment is 11 years.
• Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 in the U.S. and the 10th leading cause of death in
the U.S.
• Many people suffer from >1 mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with
substance abuse and anxiety disorders.
• > 70% of youth in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosed mental illness.
• Transgender adults are nearly 12 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. The most common mental
illnesses in the U.S. are anxiety disorders, which affect 40 million adults (18.1% of the population).

WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP)

• Mental, neurological, and substance use disorders are common in all regions of the world, affecting every community and
age group across all income countries. While 14% of the global burden of disease is attributed to these disorders, most of the
people affected -75% in many low-income countries -do not have access to the treatment they need.
• Launched in 2008. It is a standardized assessment and guide for management of several common mental health problems.
• Designed for use by non-psychiatric nurses and clinicians, this WHO guide focuses on providing clear steps towards providing
excellent, safe and culturally sensitive mental health care.
• The program asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions could be treated for
depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy, prevented from suicide and begin to lead normal lives–even where resources are
scarce
• The WHO asserts that expensive treatments are not always the best, nor the preferred choice for individuals and their families, rather,
having choices is the key component to empowerment and the promotion of health, wellness, and recovery
• The key objectives:
◦It aims at scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders for countries especially with low-and
middle income.
◦ to reinforce the commitment of governments, international organizations and other stakeholders to increase the allocation of
financial and human resources for care of MNS disorders and to achieve much higher coverage with key interventions in low-
and middle-income countries.

COVID-19 Disrupting MH Services in Most Countries, WHO Survey

• > 60% reported disruptions to mental health services for vulnerable people, including children and adolescents (72%), older
adults (70%), and women requiring antenatal or postnatal services (61%). 67% saw disruptions to counseling and
psychotherapy; 65% to critical harm reduction services; and 45% to opioid agonist maintenance treatment for opioid
dependence.
• > (35%) reported disruptions to emergency interventions, including those for people experiencing prolonged seizures; severe
substance use withdrawal syndromes; and delirium, often a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. 30% reported
disruptions to access for medications for mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Around three-quarters reported at
least partial disruptions to school and workplace mental health services (78% and 75% respectively).

• The prevalence of major depressive episode was higher among adult females (8.7%) compared to males (5.3%). (2019)
• Depression is a common mental disorder and is the leading cause of disability worldwide.. Globally, more than 264 million