Two months ago, The Mental State of the World in 2023, was published. We are all concerned and interested about this following the pandemic, lockdowns and social unrest.
The annual Mental State of the World report, published by the Global Mind Project, provides a perspective on the internet-enabled global population. This obviously has some omissions but in the UK it is interesting to see how we fair when compared to similar nations.
Why is this important? Our collective mental state shapes our societies and influences our decisions. This then defines our well-being.
The average global MHQ score (a measure of mental wellbeing) remained at 65, the same as in 2022. There is a stabilisation without further decline, but no recovery either. The report says, “The lack of recovery across all age groups in these 8 countries, and the absence of change across the other 56 countries added since 2020, paints a discouraging picture of our post-pandemic prospects.”
About 27% of respondents fell into the “Distressed or Struggling” category, indicating significant mental health challenges and 38% reported scores indicating they are “Succeeding or Thriving.” Developed countries often report higher rates of depression and anxiety, attributed to the stresses of modern life. Low-income countries, report that the burden of mental illness may be exacerbated by poverty, conflict, and inadequate mental healthcare infrastructure.
Is this useful? Yes, the report says, “The MHQ elements map to diagnostic criteria for each of 10 major DSM-5 disorders. Mapping individual profiles to these criteria has shown that MHQ scores relate systematically to clinical burden. The percentage of people with clinical symptom profiles that aligned with any of 10 DSM-5 defined disorder criteria increased as the MHQ score decreased, such that 89% of those with scores in the distressed range had symptom profiles that aligned with at least one of the 10 DSM-5 defined disorder compared to 0% for those with scores in the succeeding or thriving range. Similarly, the number of disorders per individual decreased systematically as MHQ scores increased with the average number of disorders per person at 3.8 for those in the distressed group and 0.0 for those in the succeeding and thriving groups. Thus, the MHQ score is also reflective of the overall clinical burden of mental health.”
This is a general picture, a global average. Mental health varies greatly depending on factors like location, socioeconomic status, and access to resources. The UK did not score well…
In the UK, our MHQ has decreased in 2023 when compared with 2022 and our percentage of distressed or struggling has increased in 2023 when compared with 2022.
What can you do?
Discuss mental health, acknowledge the challenges, reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help.
Invest in mental health services and make them accessible including culturally competent programmes and fostering communities where mental well-being is valued.
Education to dispel myths, challenge stigma, and encourage help-seeking behaviour. Promote mental health literacy and make supportive environments for those struggling with mental illness.
Measure to know the urgent need to for mental healthcare systems globally and interventions that are effective.
Efforts must extend beyond clinical interventions to address the underlying social determinants of health, initiatives to alleviate poverty, enhance social support networks, and create equitable opportunities for everyone.
The Mental State of the World Report: https://sapienlabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4th-Annual-Mental-State-of-the-World-Report.pdf
World Mental Health Report by World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240049338