An individual with a mental disorder experiences a clinically significant disturbance in their cognitive abilities, emotional regulation, behavior, or a combination of these. People that suffer from mental disorders are at an increased risk of suicide.

Research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 showed that 1 in every 8 people, or 970 million people around the world, were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common.

Nevertheless, effective psychological treatment exists, and depending on the age and severity, medication may also be considered. However, mental health systems in poorly regulated societies have not adequately served those with mental disorders and are significantly under-resourced.

Real Research, an online survey app, launched a survey on mental disorders and suicide risk to gather public opinions and understanding on the matter. The report on mental disorders and suicide risk further highlights the following:

Highlights

  • 68.96% of survey respondents are well aware of mental health illnesses
  • Depression (42.17%) and anxiety (36.57%) are the most common types of mental health disorder
  • A financial problem can further contribute to pre-existing mental illness, say 39.48%

95.49% Are Aware of Mental Illness

According to WHO, approximately 700,000 people die by suicide yearly, and mental illness has been ruled as the major risk factor for suicide.

The survey gathered data that 68.96% of survey respondents are well aware of mental health illnesses, while 26.53% are aware to some extent. 4.51% are unaware of mental illnesses.

Read More: Mental Health Issues and Mental Illness – Public Survey Results

People With Mental Illness

Reports show that 36.49% of survey respondents suffer from mental illness, and 21.58% have previously suffered from it. In comparison, most respondents (38.27%) have not experienced mental disorders and suicide risks.

Figure 1 Percentage of respondents with mental illness
Figure 1: Percentage of respondents with mental illness

In addition, 47.96% know someone with a mental illness, while 27.49% know no one who is going through any mental disorders and suicide risks. 20%, however, are unsure.

Most Common Mental Health Disorders

Among the mental health disorders, survey respondents observe depression (42.17%) as the most common, followed by anxiety (36.57%), bipolar disorder (10.44%), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (4.35%).

Read More: 47.53% Say Genetics Influence Anti-Social Personality Disorder

Causes for Mental Disorders and Suicide Risk

Self-isolation is the leading cause of the early-stage development of mental illness, according to 44.91% of respondents. Next are inherited traits (17.3%), abuse and trauma (16.07%), and prenatal damage (12.03%).

Figure 2 Causes of the early-stage development of mental illness
Figure 2: Causes of the early-stage development of mental illness

Aside from the main causes, some factors further contribute to the pre-existing mental condition. According to survey respondents, some of these include financial problems (39.48%), troubled relationships (31.61%), ongoing chronic medical conditions (13.1%), and some traumatic experiences (6.04%).

Is Suicide Preventable?

Likely, say, 28.62% of respondents. Another 28.56% say it is extremely likely. On the other hand, 10.25% say it is unlikely, while 27.35% remain neutral.

Figure 3 Effective ways to prevent suicide
Figure 3: Effective ways to prevent suicide

Accordingly, suicide can be prevented by encouraging anyone suffering to seek assistance, according to 39.23% of respondents.

Others suggested other effective ways to prevent suicide, like knowing the warning signs (22.27%), expressing support and concern (16.68%), and staying connected with others (11.58%).

Read More: 65.40% Say Exercise Helps People Overcome Mood Disorders Such as Depression

Mental Health: Awareness, Understanding, Support, and Prevention

The survey also asked if the city/state the respondents reside in has sufficient awareness and understanding of mental disorders and suicide risk. To this, 36.69% say ‘highly sufficient’ and 24.38% ‘somewhat sufficient.’ In contrast, 23.2% say ‘somewhat insufficient’ and 8.03% ‘highly insufficient.’

Likewise, respondents (34.63%) say the city/state they reside in is ‘highly sufficient’ in terms of mental health support and suicide prevention health centers. 23.69% say ‘somewhat sufficient,’ 24.03 say ‘somewhat insufficient,’ and 8.16% ‘highly insufficient.’

Read More: 30.75% Are Willing to Seek Professional Help to Manage Stress

Methodology

 
Survey TitleSurvey on Mental Disorders and Suicide Risk
DurationDecember 21 – December 27, 2022
Number of Participants20,000
DemographicsMales and females, aged 21 to 99
Participating Countries Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, China (Hong Kong) China (Macao), China (Taiwan), Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greanada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Maldives, Maluritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar [Burma], Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.