Mental health conditions are much more common than you might think. Around one in four people in Scotland experience a mental health problem in any given year (2). The pandemic has likely made this worse. These figures can feel daunting, but they also reassure anyone who is struggling that they are not alone.
Awareness of mental health in Scotland and across the UK continues to grow, which is helping people better understand these issues. The stigma around mental ill-health is slowly fading, and more people are talking about their experiences. That’s a positive shift and as more people seek help, they move closer to living happier, more fulfilling lives.
Below are some key statistics that highlight the scale of mental health problems and how they affect people.
General Statistics
- Around 1 in 6 people experienced a mental health problem in the past week (1)
- Anxiety and depression account for around one-fifth of all working days lost in Britain. (1)
- One in six adults have experienced a mental disorder. (2)
- Anxiety and depression are the most common mental disorder in Britain, with 7.8% of people meeting the criteria for diagnosis. (1)
- More than 900,000 people in the UK live with dementia, and this is projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. (3)
- Around 1.6 million people in the UK live with eating disorders, although many do not seek help or remain undiagnosed.
Young People
- One in five children aged 5 to 16 had a probable mental health problem in 2023. That’s five children in every classroom (5)
- In 2023, 22.4% of females aged 17 to 19 and 10.3% of males in the same age group reported self-harm. (5)
- One in three adult mental health problems are linked to an adverse childhood experience. (3)
Mental Health Inequality
- Adults in the most deprived areas are approximately twice as likely to have mental health problems compared to those in the less deprived areas (22% versus 11%) (6)
- People in Scotland’s most deprived communities continue to have significantly higher rates of GP consultations for anxiety and other mental health issues.
- People who are poorer or more disadvantaged are disproportionately affected by mental health problems and the issues they can cause. (1)
Suicide
- The suicide rate in Highlands continues to be significantly higher than the Scottish average.
- In 2024, there were 704 probable suicide deaths in Scotland, down 86 (11%) from 790 in 2023.
- Male probable suicide deaths fell by 71 (12%) to 518 in 2024, while female probable deaths fell by 15 (7%) to 186.
- The male suicide rate was 2.9 times higher than the female rate in 2024. Rates for men have remained consistently higher since records began.
- The suicide mortality rate in the most deprived areas was 2.5 times higher than in the least deprived areas in Scotland.
- The gap between rates of probable suicide mortality between the most and least deprived areas has decreased since 2001, driven by lower rates in the most deprived areas.
- In 2024, age-specific rates of probable suicide mortality were highest for those aged 25-64. The rates for these age groups were over twice as high compared to those aged over 75 or under 25.
- Since 2000, the average age at death has generally increased, from 41.9 years in 2000 to 47.5 years in 2024.
Sources:
- Mentalhealth.org.uk
- Mind.org.uk
- NHS.uk
- Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2021Report
- Youngminds.org.uk
- Health Scotland
- Publichealthscotland.scot
- ONS – Suicides in the UK: 2018 registrations
- Suicide: summary of statistics – UK Parliament