Mental Health

Cause Overview

In contrast to the dramatic improvements in physical health in most countries over the course of the past century, the mental component of health has in many places not improved. As many as 450 million people worldwide are estimated to be suffering from some kind of mental or brain disorder. This is an overwhelming figure considering that mental health is not only essential for individual well-being, but also essential for enhancing human development, including economic growth and poverty reduction.

The World Health Organization reports that four in ten leading causes of disability worldwide are related to mental illness. In the next 15 years, the burden of mental illness is expected to rise, particularly in developing countries, where an increasing number of individuals are entering the age of risk for these disorders and are increasingly affected by violent conflicts, civil wars, displacement and disasters. To ensure that mental health services are incorporated in all levels of health services, we must address the serious shortage of mental health resources and service providers, and the large technical gaps in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness around the world.

But there is also good news. Today we are in a better position to make use of the accumulated wealth of knowledge and the technologies that allow us more effectively to manage, treat and prevent a wide range of mental and neurological problems. With the current treatments, most persons with mental, brain or behavioral disorders can become functioning and productive members of the community and live normal lives.

Source: World Health Organization; Mental Health, A Call to Action by World Health Ministers, 2001