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Facts and figure about mental health

Mental illness in Australia is very common. Read on for some of the key statistics around mental health.

1 in 5

...Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness in any year.

45%

...of Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

Depression, anxiety and substance use disorder

...are the most common mental illnesses in Australia.

18-24 years old

...onset of mental illness is typically around mid-to-late adolescence and Australian youth have the highest prevalence of mental illness than any other age group.

54%

...of people with mental illness do not access any treatment.

25-44 years old

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians in this age group and the second leading cause of death for young Australians aged 15-24.

Greatest risk

Men are at greatest risk of suicide but least likely to seek help. Other groups that are at greater risk include: Indigenous Australians, who experience an overall rate of suicide more than double that of non-Indigenous Australians, the LGBTI community, who experience a rate of attempted suicide four times that of those identifying as straight, people in rural and remote areas, and children

For references and to find out more, download this useful factsheet from the Black Dog Institute.