1 Billion Silent, WHO Warns of Mental Health Crisis Reaching Critical Point for "1 in 8 People"

On September 2, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a shocking report stating that over 1 billion people worldwide are suffering from mental health disorders. This serves as a strong warning message to global policymakers ahead of the UN high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases and mental health promotion scheduled for September 25 in New York.

The report, consisting of "World Mental Health Today" and "Mental Health Atlas 2024," is summarized by one shocking number.

"Over 1 billion people worldwide." This means that more than 1 in 8 people on Earth are experiencing some form of mental health disorder. This 'silent pandemic' has emerged as humanity's most urgent health crisis, intertwined with the scars left by COVID-19, geopolitical instability, the climate crisis, and the acceleration of the digital age.

Brez Journal deeply analyzes the inner crisis faced by modern individuals, its causes, and the direction we need to take.

The Qualitative Crisis Hidden Behind the Number '1 Billion'

The WHO report reveals that anxiety disorders and depressive disorders are the most common mental health disorders among both men and women. Notably, in just the first year of the pandemic, the global incidence of depression and anxiety disorders surged by over 25%, and the repercussions continue to this day in 2025.

This crisis hits certain groups even harder. According to the "Gen Z Global Mental Health Impact Report" released by UNICEF at the Social Innovation Summit held in San Francisco on June 3, 2025, Gen Z feels overwhelmed and powerless due to the combination of geopolitical conflicts, climate and ecological crises, economic uncertainty, and mental health issues.

In a survey of over 5,600 Gen Z individuals aged 14-25, 6 out of 10 reported feeling overwhelmed by current events.

The "Blueprint for a National Prevention Infrastructure for Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders" report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on June 25, 2025, estimated that the economic cost of health disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. reached between $421 billion and $451 billion in 2018.

The report emphasized that low-income, rural areas, and minority communities are particularly vulnerable to mental illness.

Globally, approximately 727,000 people lost their lives to suicide in just one year in 2021, and suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among young people in all countries and socioeconomic contexts. This clearly shows that mental health issues are not just a matter of 'mood' but a matter of 'survival.'

The Roots of the Crisis: Chronic Underinvestment and Structural Failures

So why has such a massive crisis been neglected? WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "Transforming mental health services is one of the most urgent public health challenges," emphasizing that "investing in mental health is an investment in people, communities, and economies, and no country can afford to ignore it."

WHO identifies two structural failures as the core causes.

The first is 'chronic underinvestment.' According to the report, the median government expenditure on mental health is only 2% of total health budgets, and this has not changed since 2017. Despite the increased emphasis on its importance after the pandemic, actual financial input remains stagnant.

The disparities between countries are stark. High-income countries spend up to $65 per capita on mental health, while low-income countries spend only $0.04. This critically undermines access to life-saving services.

The second is 'inequity in services and social stigma.' The global median number of mental health professionals is only 13 per 100,000 people, with severe shortages in low- and middle-income countries. Mental health services are concentrated among the wealthy or in urban areas, while in rural areas or low-income countries, even basic counseling is considered a 'luxury.'

Moreover, the deep-rooted social stigma surrounding mental illness hinders people from seeking help, further pushing the issue underground. According to a UNICEF survey, 4 out of 10 Gen Z individuals still feel stigmatized when discussing mental health in schools and workplaces.

Accelerating Crisis: 'Digital Fatigue' and 'Climate Anxiety'

In addition to structural issues, the peculiarities of modern society are accelerating the crisis. According to data released by the WHO European Regional Office in September 2024, more than 1 in 10 adolescents (11%) showed signs of problematic social media behavior, struggling to control their usage and experiencing negative outcomes.

More than one-third (36%) of young people reported maintaining constant contact with friends online. Research from the University of California, Irvine, indicates that excessive social media use can lead to increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, especially among young people.

The information overload from AI algorithms, constant notifications, and social media comparison pressures normalize 'cognitive fatigue' and anxiety. Ironically, while AI-based mindfulness apps and stress monitoring devices have emerged to address these issues, the fundamental pressures of the digital environment remain unchanged.

At the same time, 'Climate Anxiety' has emerged as a new mental health threat, particularly among Gen Z. The UNICEF report states that Gen Z is deeply engaged with global issues, including climate and ecological crises, but this ongoing exposure is significantly impacting their mental health.

Constant disaster news leads to a loss of hope for the future and deepens feelings of powerlessness.

Economic Impact: The Weight of Productivity Loss

The economic impact of mental health disorders is enormous. While healthcare costs are significant, the indirect costs due to productivity loss are even greater. Globally, productivity losses due to mental health issues amount to $1 trillion annually.

Workplace stress and psychosocial risks affect employees' mental health. It is estimated that about 27% of EU workers suffered from stress, depression, or anxiety in 2022.

According to the "World Mental Health Day 2024" report released by the European Parliament, approximately 84 million people (1 in 6) were affected by mental health issues in the EU before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, and as reported in the 2023 national health profile, that number has worsened since then.

WHO's Recommendations: "Not Hospitals, But Communities"

WHO calls for a 'fundamental shift in paradigm' to overcome this comprehensive crisis.

The core is the transition to 'de-hospitalization and community-based care.' Moving away from the outdated method of isolating individuals in large psychiatric hospitals, we need to expand 'community-based, human-centered care' that is accessible in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods where we live.

However, the report states that less than 10% of countries have fully transitioned to community-based care models, and most countries are still in the early stages of this transition.

To this end, WHO proposes four key actions.

1. Equitable Financial Support: Significantly increase mental health budgets and prioritize resource allocation to the most vulnerable populations.

2. Legal and Policy Reform: The number of countries adopting or implementing rights-based mental health legislation has decreased, with only 45% of assessed countries having laws that fully comply with international human rights standards. Legal mechanisms to protect the rights of individuals with mental illness and prohibit discrimination must be strengthened.

3. Investment in Workforce: There should be a large-scale training of mental health professionals (counselors, social workers, etc.) and improvements in their working conditions.

4. Prevention-Centered Approach: Instead of treating problems after they arise, we need to expand 'prevention'-focused programs such as stress management and resilience training.

2025 UN Meeting: A Turning Point for Action

These reports serve as important tools for informing national strategies and shaping global dialogue ahead of the UN high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases and mental health promotion to be held in New York on September 25, 2025.

Zainab Hijazi, UNICEF's Global Mental Health Lead, emphasized in the report's preface, "Mental health should no longer be treated as a byproduct of global turmoil; it must become part of how we respond, recover, and reimagine the future."

The upcoming UN high-level meeting on September 25 will be a crucial turning point in determining whether these recommendations lead to substantial policy changes by governments around the world.

The number '1 billion' is not just a statistic. It represents the suffering inner lives of our family, friends, colleagues, and ourselves. Humanity is currently unable to 'breathe' properly.

The 'inner breath' that Brez Journal highlights has now become an area that requires public policy and social investment on a global scale, not just an individual responsibility. It is time to break the silence and listen to each other's breaths.

[References]

• WHO. (2025). World Mental Health Today & Mental Health Atlas 2024

• UNICEF Global Coalition for Youth Mental Health. (2025). Understanding the Mental Health Impact of Global Challenges on Gen Z

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2025). Blueprint for a National Prevention Infrastructure for Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders

• European Parliament. (2024). World Mental Health Day 2024: 10 October