Statistics reveal global failure to address human rights violations in mental health-care systems

ByIon Ilasco

Statistics reveal global failure to address human rights violations in mental health-care systems

Sound mental health is essential for personal well-being. Despite the incidence of mental disorders being relatively high globally, affecting about 800 million people at any one time, nevertheless, the stigma around individuals facing such issues remains all-pervading. The UN has highlighted the importance of approaching mental health from the perspective of a universal human right. This article reveals mental health statistics and defines the concept of mental balance and the main disorders that affect this.

What is mental health?

Mental health refers to the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual. It plays a crucial role in determining the quality of life of a person and their ability to handle stress and to relate to others. Whilst people of all ages and backgrounds are affected by psychiatric problems, some factors such as genetics, trauma, or substance abuse may cause or amplify these.

Mental balance disruptions are also associated with high levels of social stigma with those suffering from such disorders often being subject to discriminatory attitudes from society. Moreover, it is not uncommon for them to feel self-stigmatized or, in other words, ashamed of their condition. Despite the fact that many disorders linked to mental health can be effectively treated at relatively low costs, the number of people who lack access to effective treatments remains high.

Modern medicine recognizes many different mental disorders with varying psychological manifestations. Abnormal thoughts, emotional turbulence, or behavioral changes are just some examples. However, the most common mental disorders are:

No health without mental health

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a department within the United Nations Secretariat empowered to promote and protect human rights. It is divided into 45 thematic and 13 country units that are assigned to special rapporteurs, working groups, or individual experts. One of these units is responsible for ensuring the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. It encourages stakeholders to move towards mental health systems that are compliant with universal human rights.

The first paragraph of the Rapporteur’s most recent report (2020) states that “there is no health without mental health.” Thus, physical and mental fitness should be viewed together as one cannot be achieved without the other. Moreover, the stigmatism around mental health means that the world should be asked to approach this issue from the perspective of universal human rights, as only when human rights are respected will the efforts and investments in mental health be effective.

Mental health statistics and facts

It proves difficult to gain a clear understanding of the number of people currently affected or suffering from mental illness at the global level. In the majority of the cases, such problems are either not reported or are not diagnosed. However, there are certain statistics and facts related to mental health available:

  • The OHCHR reports that more than 1 in 10 people worldwide is living with a mental health condition at any one time
  • The World Health Organization, on the other hand, estimates that about one in four people will experience some form of mental disorder in their lifetime
  • Depression is one of the most common mental disorders with about 280 million people globally currently suffering from this affliction
  • The prevalence of mental disorders increased by 315 million cases or by 48% between 1990 (654.8 million) and 2019 (970.1 million) at the global level
  • About 75% of people living in low- and middle-income countries who suffer from mental disorders do not receive any treatment
  • Around 51.5 million people 51.5 million adults in the US were living with a mental illness in 2019 which represents almost one in five f the country’s population
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the incidence and the severity of mental health problems
  • It is estimated that about 53.2 million people globally suffered from major depression disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic while an additional 76.2 million reported anxiety disorders for the same reason

Sound mental health is essential for an individual’s well-being but mental health statistics reveal about 800 million people worldwide are currently suffering from psychiatric disorders (mainly depression). The United Nations has therefore called upon governments to approach the mental health of their populations from the perspective of this being a fundamental human right. Nonetheless, the coverage of the treatment of mental disorders is very poor, particularly in poor and middle-income states. In turn, a poor mental health condition leads to poor physical health and thus considerably reduces life expectancy.

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