In Finland, at least 66% of people suffer from mental disorders throughout their lives.

The University of Helsinki published a study that revealed statistics showing that in Finland, more than two thirds of people are diagnosed at some point with a mental disorder.

The study of the university, published The study, conducted by Cambridge University and reported by several media outlets on Friday, stated that “Most individuals, though not everyone, have at least one mental disorder. This is often experienced during childhood.”

The study’s authors said that they “followed 6 million individuals for a total of 98.5 million years and found lifetime incidence of mental disorders was 76.7 percent in women at age 100 and 69.7 percent in men.”

Anxiety disorders and mood disorders are the most common.

“Mental health challenges touch most people at some stage—whether directly or through someone close to them. This reality must be reflected when we think of work, education and public services, as well as our day-today lives,” said Dr. Kimmo Suokas.

Depression is the most prevalent disorder. Anxiety disorders and mood disorders also make up a large part of diagnoses. In addition, there are significant differences between genders and ages in the type and timing of initial diagnosis.

Males are typically diagnosed around age six. This is most commonly in the form behavioural disorders such as ADHD. Among females, diagnoses tend to appear later—usually between the ages of 15 and 19—and are more commonly related to anxiety or mood disturbances.

Some questions remain unanswered

Christian Hakulinen, Associate Professor at the University of Helsinki, noted that this study was different from many others because it included data both from primary care and specialists. This gave us a more accurate and detailed picture of the incidence of disorders and their breakdown.

The data cannot answer the question of whether the prevalence of mental disorders has increased in recent years.  The authors do point out, however, that the rapid increase in mental health services available, as well a lower threshold for seeking treatment, may help to explain the high diagnosis rates.

Hakulinen, as well as Suokas, believe that the changing relationship of society with mental health is another key factor. The public conversation about mental health has grown dramatically and has led to a reduction in stigma. 

Other countries have higher rates of mental disorder in their population than Finland.

Denmark and New Zealand have higher rates

The Helsinki Times reports that over 80 percent of Danes in Denmark receive a diagnosis of a mental illness, behavioural disorder or neurodevelopmental disorder during their lifetime. wrote.

New Zealand has reported lifetime prevalence rates for these disorders exceeding 80%, driven primarily by anxiety, depression and neurodevelopmental diagnosis.

The World Health Organisation is a global health organisation. estimates It is estimated that one out of four people in the world will have a mental disorder at some point during their lifetime. This usually focuses on disorders such as anxiety and depression.

In some high-income nations with robust diagnostic systems and a wider range of disorders, lifetime prevalence can reach or exceed 50%. study found.

The message is clear and reassuring: mental health does not belong to the margins. It is a reality in Finland. In order to address it, not only does one need medical infrastructure, but also cultural understanding, workplace assistance, and education systems which reflect the modern psychological landscape.