Depression is one of the most common health conditions in the world. It is more than a bad mood. It can affect sleep, work, family life and physical health. The good news is that it can be treated, with talk therapy, medicines, or both.
How common is depression?
WHO estimates that about 322 million people have depression. In 2023 it affected 5.2% of adults: 4.1% of men and 6.2% of women, and 5.4% of adults aged 70 and older [1]. More than 10% of pregnant women and new mothers experience it [1].
The treatment gap
Even in high-income countries, only about one third of people with depression get mental health treatment [1]. WHO's Mental Health Atlas 2024 found that in low-income countries fewer than 10% of affected people receive care [2]. Depression and anxiety cost the world economy about US$1 trillion a year [2].
Where antidepressants fit
- WHO says psychological treatment is the first treatment for depression [1].
- Medicines can be added for moderate and severe depression. They are not needed for mild depression [1].
- The most used class is SSRIs, such as fluoxetine [1].
- Antidepressants should not be used to treat depression in children, and need extra caution in teenagers [1].
New approaches
Research is looking at faster-acting medicines for hard-to-treat depression, and at care led by trained lay workers. WHO has published brief therapy manuals, such as Problem Management Plus, that non-specialists can deliver [1].
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Suicide and young people
Depression can lead to suicide. WHO estimates that about 727,000 people died by suicide in 2021 [1]. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15–29 [1]. On the current path, the world will cut suicide rates by only about 12% by 2030. The global goal is one third [2].
Why so many people go without care
WHO names three main barriers: too little money spent on mental health, too few trained health workers, and stigma [1]. The 2024 Mental Health Atlas, which covers 144 countries, shows how big the money gap is [2]:
- The median government spends just 2% of its health budget on mental health. That share has not changed since 2017.
- High-income countries spend up to US$65 per person. Low-income countries spend as little as US$0.04.
- The global median is 13 mental health workers per 100,000 people.
- Fewer than 10% of countries have fully moved to community-based care. Most care still happens in psychiatric hospitals.
Talk therapy comes first
WHO lists several talk therapies that work for depression: behavioural activation, cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy and problem-solving therapy [1]. They can be delivered in person, in groups, online, or through self-help books and apps [1].
WHO has also written short manuals that trained lay workers can use. Problem Management Plus teaches stress control and problem solving. Group Interpersonal Therapy treats depression in groups. Thinking Healthy uses cognitive behavioural therapy for depression around childbirth [1]. These matter most where there are few psychiatrists.
How medicines are used
Antidepressants such as SSRIs are added for moderate and severe depression. Doctors weigh side effects, what care is on offer and what the person wants [1]. The medicines are not used to treat depression in children. In teenagers they are not the first choice and need extra care [1].
Depression is also tied to physical health. Physical inactivity and harmful alcohol use raise the risk of depression, heart disease, diabetes and cancer [1]. People with these diseases are also more likely to become depressed [1]. This is why care for long-term illness should include checks for low mood.
Prevention works too
WHO points to programmes that help prevent depression [1]:
- School programmes that teach children good ways to cope.
- Support for parents of children with behaviour problems.
- Exercise programmes for older adults.
Simple self-care also helps: staying active, keeping in touch with friends, regular sleep and meals, and cutting down on alcohol [1]. Anyone with thoughts of suicide should talk to someone they trust, a health worker, or a crisis line.
Depression among young people
Of the 322 million people with depression in 2023, about 43 million were children and teenagers [3]. People with depression are at higher risk of suicide [3]. This is why WHO stresses care when using antidepressants in young people, and puts talk therapy first [1].
Only one in three gets care
Globally, only about one third of people with depression receive formal mental health care [3]. WHO's Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) trains doctors, nurses and other health workers outside mental health services to spot and manage depression [3]. Its Intervention Guide 2.0 explains how to assess and treat it in general clinics [3]. Most antidepressant prescriptions in many countries are written in primary care, so this training matters for safe prescribing.
WHO's action plan
WHO's Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030 has four aims: better leadership, community-based services, prevention and promotion, and better data and research [3].
Key numbers at a glance
- About 322 million people had depression in 2023.
- 5.2% of adults: 4.1% of men and 6.2% of women.
- About 727,000 suicide deaths in 2021.
- Only about one in three people with depression gets formal care.
- Median government mental health spending: 2% of health budgets.
Medicines are one part of care. Reaching people who get nothing today is the bigger task.
What this means
Demand for depression care will keep growing. The biggest gains will come from reaching people who get no care today, through primary care, community workers and digital tools, with medicines used where they help most.
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Topics: Mental health
Sources
- WHO fact sheet: Depressive disorder (depression)
- WHO news (2 Sep 2025): Over a billion people living with mental health conditions
- WHO fact sheet: Mental disorders
Banner image: Pills in blister pack by Unknown, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The data behind this story
Topics: Mental health
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