Bipolar disorder statistics

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects mood, energy, activity and thought. People have manic or hypomanic episodes and depressive episodes. The World Health Organization says recovery is possible with the right care, which usually combines medicines with psychological and social support.

There is more than one type. A person with bipolar I disorder has had at least one manic episode. A person with bipolar II disorder has had hypomanic and depressive episodes, but never full mania. Some surveys also count subthreshold bipolar disorder, where symptoms fall short of the full criteria. Together these make up the bipolar spectrum. This page never merges the types. Each figure says which one it counts.

Studies also measure different periods. A lifetime figure counts anyone who has ever had the condition. A past-year figure counts only people who had it in the year before the survey. A current figure counts people who had it at the time of the interview.

Worldwide estimates

These estimates come from the Global Burden of Disease study, which models figures for every country from the studies available. The World Health Organization quotes its latest round. They count bipolar disorder as one group.

• An estimated 36 million people worldwide were living with bipolar disorder in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Worldwide, about 0.4% of people were living with bipolar disorder in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹
• Of the people living with bipolar disorder worldwide in 2023, about 32 million were adults. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹

Bipolar I, bipolar II and subthreshold bipolar disorder

The World Mental Health Surveys interviewed adults in households in eleven countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, Lebanon and New Zealand. They used the same interview in every country, so they could count each type apart.

• In household surveys across eleven countries, 0.6% of adults had ever had bipolar I disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 0.4% of adults had ever had bipolar II disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 1.4% of adults had ever had subthreshold bipolar disorder, with symptoms below the full criteria for bipolar I or II. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 2.4% of adults had ever had a disorder on the bipolar spectrum, counting bipolar I, bipolar II and subthreshold bipolar disorder together. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 0.4% of adults had bipolar I disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 0.3% of adults had bipolar II disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In household surveys across eleven countries, 0.8% of adults had subthreshold bipolar disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

When it begins

In the same surveys, interviewers asked adults with bipolar disorder when their first episode began. Bipolar I tended to start a little earlier than bipolar II.

• Among adults with bipolar I disorder in these surveys, the average age when it began was 18.4 years. (survey, 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• Among adults with bipolar II disorder in these surveys, the average age when it began was 20.0 years. (survey, 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

Physical health, suicide and early death

The World Health Organization says bipolar disorder raises the risk of suicide, that people with it are more likely to have heart or lung disease, and that they die years earlier than other people. These reviews pooled many studies to measure the gap. Treatment helps: the World Health Organization says several effective options exist, and that care usually combines medicines with psychological support. If you are thinking about suicide, please reach out now. Our page of helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide lists free crisis lines by country.

• Pooling the studies, the average life expectancy of people with bipolar disorder was 66.88 years. (pooled from cohort studies, published 2022, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• Pooling the studies, people with bipolar disorder lost an average of 12.89 years of potential life. (pooled from cohort studies, published 2022, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• Pooling mostly cohort studies, people with bipolar disorder were 2.02 times as likely to die during follow-up as the general population or control groups. (meta-analysis of studies, published 2023, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Pooling mostly cohort studies, people with bipolar disorder were 11.69 times as likely to die by suicide as the general population or control groups. (meta-analysis of studies, published 2023, checked 13 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Pooling mostly cohort studies, people with bipolar disorder were 1.76 times as likely to die of cardiovascular causes as the general population or control groups. The review reported deaths from stroke and other cerebrovascular causes as a separate group. (pooled from cohort studies, published 2023, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• Pooling the studies, 33.9% of people with bipolar disorder had attempted suicide at some point in their lives. (pooled from prevalence studies, lifetime (ever), published 2019, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁵

The treatment gap

The World Health Organization says treatment coverage for bipolar disorder is low worldwide, and that many people with it receive the wrong diagnosis. The World Mental Health Surveys asked adults on the bipolar spectrum whether they had ever used mental health services. Use was lowest in the low- and lower-middle-income countries.

• In the high-income countries surveyed, 50.2% of adults with a bipolar spectrum disorder had ever used mental health services. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2002-2006 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In the upper-middle-income countries surveyed, 33.9% of adults with a bipolar spectrum disorder had ever used mental health services. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In the low- and lower-middle-income countries surveyed, 25.2% of adults with a bipolar spectrum disorder had ever used mental health services. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2003-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

North America

The United States figures for adults come from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a national household survey. The figure for teenagers comes from its adolescent supplement. Canada's figures come from national surveys of people aged fifteen and over, and they count bipolar disorders as one group.

• In the United States, 1.0% of adults had ever had bipolar I disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 0.6% of adults had bipolar I disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 1.1% of adults had ever had bipolar II disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 0.8% of adults had bipolar II disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 2.4% of adults had ever had subthreshold bipolar disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 1.4% of adults had subthreshold bipolar disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2001-2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In the United States, 2.9% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 in a national survey had ever had bipolar I or II disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2010, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷
• In Canada, 2.1% of people aged 15 and over met the criteria for a bipolar disorder in the past year, in 2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸
• In Canada, 1.5% of people aged 15 and over met the criteria for a bipolar disorder in the past year, in 2012. (survey, past 12 months, 2012 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸

South America

Colombia's figure comes from its World Mental Health survey of adults in urban areas. It counts the whole bipolar spectrum together.

• In Colombia, 2.6% of adults aged 18 to 65 in urban areas had ever had a bipolar spectrum disorder (bipolar I, bipolar II or subthreshold bipolar disorder). (survey, lifetime (ever), 2003 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

Europe

Spain's figures come from a population survey of adults aged forty-five and over in one region, Catalonia, using DSM-5 criteria. They describe that age group and region, not the whole country.

• In Spain, 0.3% of adults aged 45 and over in Catalonia had ever had bipolar I disorder under DSM-5 criteria. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2015, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• In Spain, 0.9% of adults aged 45 and over in Catalonia had ever had bipolar II disorder under DSM-5 criteria. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2015, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹
• In Spain, 3.0% of adults aged 45 and over in Catalonia had ever had any bipolar disorder under DSM-5 criteria, counting bipolar I, bipolar II and other bipolar disorders together. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2015, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹

Africa

Ethiopia's figures come from door-to-door screening of the adult population aged fifteen to forty-nine in one district, Butajira. A structured diagnostic interview confirmed each case. The study counted bipolar I disorder only.

• In Ethiopia, 0.6% of men aged 15 to 49 in the Butajira district had ever had bipolar I disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2005, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In Ethiopia, 0.3% of women aged 15 to 49 in the Butajira district had ever had bipolar I disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), published 2005, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In Ethiopia, 55.9% of people with bipolar I disorder found in the Butajira district had never sought help from modern health care. (survey published 2005, fieldwork year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰

Middle East

Iraq's national household survey of adults rated how severe each disorder was. Bipolar disorder was the condition most often rated serious.

• In Iraq's national survey, 76.9% of adults aged 18 and over with bipolar disorder in the past year had a case classified as serious. (survey, past 12 months, 2006-2007 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹

Asia

India's figures come from the National Mental Health Survey, which counted bipolar affective disorder under ICD-10. Japan's figures come from its World Mental Health survey of adults in nine metropolitan areas, and count the whole bipolar spectrum together.

• In India's National Mental Health Survey of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states, 0.3% currently had bipolar affective disorder. (survey, at one point in time, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²
• In India's National Mental Health Survey of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states, 0.5% had ever had bipolar affective disorder. (survey, lifetime (ever), 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²
• In India's National Mental Health Survey, 70.4% of adults aged 18 and over in 12 states with a current bipolar affective disorder had no treatment or inadequate treatment. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²
• In Japan, 0.7% of adults in nine metropolitan areas had ever had a bipolar spectrum disorder (bipolar I, bipolar II or subthreshold bipolar disorder). (survey, lifetime (ever), 2002-2006 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• In Japan, 0.2% of adults in nine metropolitan areas had a bipolar spectrum disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2002-2006 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

Oceania

Australia's figure comes from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. It counts people who had bipolar affective disorder at some time and still had symptoms in the year before the survey.

• In Australia, 2.0% of people aged 16 to 85 had bipolar affective disorder in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹³

National figures side by side

These studies counted different types of bipolar disorder, in different age groups, over different periods. Some cover a whole country and some one region. Read each row with its label, and do not rank the countries.

How to read these figures

Bipolar I, bipolar II and subthreshold bipolar disorder are different conditions. A figure for the whole bipolar spectrum adds them together, so it runs higher than a figure for bipolar I alone. Compare like with like.

A lifetime figure is never lower than a past-year or current figure from the same people.

Household surveys can miss people in hospital, in prison or too unwell to take part. Bipolar disorder can also be hard to recognise in a single interview. Both can make it look rarer or commoner than it is.

Some surveys here are older. Rates can change over time, and newer surveys may use newer diagnostic criteria such as DSM-5.

Figures from the Global Burden of Disease study are estimates from a statistical model, not direct counts. We cite them as estimates, as the World Health Organization does, and do not reproduce the underlying datasets.

Bipolar disorder is treatable. The World Health Organization lists mood stabilisers and other medicines, psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy and psychoeducation, family psychoeducation, support groups and peer support among the options that help people stay well. People with bipolar disorder deserve respect and a say in decisions about their care.

If bipolar disorder affects you or someone close to you, a psychiatrist or psychologist can help. They can assess what is happening and help plan care. Our guide on how to find the right therapist explains what to look for. If you are in distress right now, see our helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

Cite this page: TherapyRoute. Bipolar disorder statistics. https://www.therapyroute.com/article/bipolar-disorder-2025-statistics-by-therapyroute. Last updated 13 October 2026.

References

1. [1] Bipolar disorder. World Health Organization, 11 September 2026 who.int.
2. [2] Prevalence and correlates of bipolar spectrum disorder in the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Archives of General Psychiatry (Merikangas et al.), 2011 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
3. [3] Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry (Chan et al.), 2022 doi.org.
4. [4] All-cause and cause-specific mortality among people with bipolar disorder: a large-scale systematic review and meta-analysis. Molecular Psychiatry (Biazus et al.), 2023 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
5. [5] Prevalence of suicide attempts in bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences (Dong et al.), 2019 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
6. [6] Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry (Merikangas et al.), 2007 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
7. [7] Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders in US Adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Study-Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Merikangas et al.), 2010 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
8. [8] Mental disorders and access to mental health care (The Daily). Statistics Canada, 22 September 2023 www150.statcan.gc.ca.
9. [9] Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of depressive and bipolar disorders in Catalonia (Spain) using DSM-5 criteria. Journal of Affective Disorders (Calvó-Perxas et al.), 2015 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
10. [10] Prevalence and clinical characteristics of bipolar I disorder in Butajira, Ethiopia: a community-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders (Negash et al.), 2005 europepmc.org.
11. [11] The prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV disorders in the Iraq Mental Health Survey (IMHS). World Psychiatry (Alhasnawi et al.), 2009 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
12. [12] National Mental Health Survey of India, 2015-16: Prevalence, Patterns and Outcomes. NIMHANS (Gururaj et al.) for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 2016 indianmhs.nimhans.ac.in.
13. [13] National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 5 October 2023 abs.gov.au.