Men's mental health statistics

Men and women tend to have different mental health problems. In the sources below, depression is more common among women than among men, and alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related deaths are more common among men.

Men also see professionals for their mental health less often. In Australia, men with a mental disorder were less likely than women with one to see a professional.

Most surveys here record sex as male or female, and some ask about gender. Each figure names its group, its measure, its source and its age band where the source gives one. Some figures come from screening questionnaires, which are not diagnoses.

Worldwide

These are World Health Organization estimates, modelled from many sources. In them, women have depression more often than men, and alcohol causes many deaths among men.

• Among adult men worldwide, 4.1% experienced depression in 2023. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 9 Oct 2026) ¹
• Worldwide, depression is about 1.5 times more common among women than among men. (modelled estimate, 2023 data, checked 9 Oct 2026) ¹
• Worldwide, an estimated 52% of men were current drinkers in 2019. (modelled, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• Worldwide, alcohol use was responsible for an estimated 6.7% of all deaths among men in 2019. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²
• Of the deaths caused by alcohol worldwide in 2019, an estimated 2 million were among men. (modelled estimate, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ²

Europe

England's figures come from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of adults aged sixteen and over, which uses a structured interview to find common mental health conditions in the past week. The comparison over time covers males of working age only, so that every survey year matches.

• In England, 15.4% of men aged 16 and over had a common mental health condition, such as depression or an anxiety disorder, in the past week, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In England, 3.1% of men aged 16 and over had depression in the past week, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In England, 5.7% of men aged 16 and over had generalised anxiety disorder in the past week, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In England, 11.9% of males aged 16 to 64 had a common mental health condition in the past week in 1993, in the first survey of the series. (survey, 1993 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In England, 17.3% of males aged 16 to 64 had a common mental health condition in the past week in 2023/4, a rise since the first survey of the series. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³
• In England, 13.3% of men aged 16 and over reported a common mental health condition diagnosed by a professional and present in the past twelve months, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, past 12 months, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ³

North America

The United States figure comes from a national health examination survey. People answered a depression questionnaire about the past two weeks, so it counts a positive screen, not a diagnosis.

• In the United States, 10.1% of males aged 12 and older screened positive for depression on a questionnaire about the past two weeks, in a national survey run in 2021-2023. (survey, 2021-2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁵

South America

Brazil's figures come from the National Health Survey. The researchers counted scores on a depression questionnaire at the level that suggests major depressive disorder. That is a screen, not a diagnosis. Women's figure sits beside men's for comparison.

• In Brazil, 6.0% of men aged 18 to 59 scored in the range of major depressive disorder on a screening questionnaire, in a national health survey run in 2019. (survey, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶
• In Brazil, 15.4% of women aged 18 to 59 scored in the range of major depressive disorder on a screening questionnaire, in a national health survey run in 2019. (survey, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁶

Africa

Kenya's figure comes from a national household survey of adults run with the World Health Organization's survey method. Heavy episodic drinking means sixty grams or more of pure alcohol, about six standard drinks, on a single occasion. It is a drinking pattern, not a disorder.

• In Kenya, 88.5% of adults aged 18 to 69 who reported heavy episodic drinking at least once a month were men, in a national survey run in 2015. (survey, 2015 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁷

Asia

India's figures come from the National Mental Health Survey, run in twelve states. The alcohol use disorder figures count current prevalence, at the time of the survey. Women's figure sits beside men's for comparison.

• In India, 9.1% of men aged 18 and over in 12 states had an alcohol use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸
• In India, 0.5% of women aged 18 and over in 12 states had an alcohol use disorder, in a survey run in 2015-2016. (survey, 2015-2016 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁸

Oceania

Australia's figures come from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, which uses a diagnostic interview. They count mental disorders in the twelve months before the interview.

• In Australia, 18.3% of males aged 16 to 85 had a mental disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In Australia, 13.3% of males aged 16 to 85 had an anxiety disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In Australia, 6.5% of males aged 16 to 85 had an affective disorder, such as depression, in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In Australia, 4.4% of males aged 16 to 85 had a substance use disorder in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴

Suicide

These are World Health Organization estimates, modelled from many sources. Age-standardising lets readers compare groups with different age make-ups. The World Health Organization says timely and often low-cost help can prevent suicide. If you are thinking about suicide, please reach out now. Our page of helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide lists free crisis lines by country.

• Worldwide, the age-standardised suicide rate among males was 2.2 times the rate among females, in estimates for 2021. (modelled estimate, 2021 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁹

Getting help

Fewer men than women use mental health care in Australia and the United States. A meta-analysis of studies on masculine norms is the last figure below.

• In Australia, 12.9% of males aged 16 to 85 saw a health professional for their mental health in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In Australia, 36.4% of males aged 16 to 85 with a mental disorder in the previous twelve months saw a health professional for their mental health, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In Australia, 51.1% of females aged 16 to 85 with a mental disorder in the previous twelve months saw a health professional for their mental health, in a national survey run in 2020-2022. (survey, past 12 months, 2020-2022 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁴
• In the United States, 13.4% of men aged 18 and over had received any mental health treatment in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2019. (survey, past 12 months, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In the United States, 24.7% of women aged 18 and over had received any mental health treatment in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2019. (survey, past 12 months, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In the United States, 7.2% of men aged 18 and over had received counselling or therapy from a mental health professional in the previous twelve months, in a national survey run in 2019. (survey, past 12 months, 2019 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹⁰
• In the United States, 33.2% of males aged 12 and older who screened positive for depression had received counselling or therapy from a mental health professional in the past year. (survey, past 12 months, 2021-2023 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ⁵
• In England, 43.3% of men aged 16 and over with symptoms of a common mental health condition were receiving mental health treatment, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In England, 36.3% of men aged 16 and over with symptoms of a common mental health condition were taking psychotropic medication, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• In England, 17.5% of men aged 16 and over with symptoms of a common mental health condition were receiving a psychological therapy, in a national survey run in 2023/4. (survey, 2023/4 data, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹¹
• A meta-analysis of 78 samples found that conforming more to masculine norms went with worse mental health and, more strongly, with less psychological help seeking. (published 2017, year not stated, checked 10 Oct 2026) ¹²

Depression measures in men

These figures use different methods, time frames and age groups. Read each row with its label, and do not rank the countries.

How to read these figures

A screening questionnaire is not a diagnosis. A positive screen means a person's answers reached a cut-off that suggests the condition.

Time frames differ. Most of England's figures count the past week, Australia's the past year, and the global estimates a single year.

A lower figure for men does not always mean men are doing better. The surveys can only count what people report.

Heavy episodic drinking is a pattern of drinking, not an alcohol use disorder.

If you are a man who is struggling, talking to someone can help, and asking for help is not a weakness. A therapist can help you understand what is happening and what to change. Our guide on how to find the right therapist explains what to look for. If you are in distress right now, or thinking about ending your life, see our helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

Cite this page: TherapyRoute. Men's mental health statistics. https://www.therapyroute.com/article/mens-mental-health-statistics-by-therapyroute. Last updated 10 October 2026.

References

1. [1] Depressive disorder (depression). World Health Organization, 11 September 2026 who.int.
2. [2] Alcohol. World Health Organization, 28 June 2024 who.int.
3. [3] Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey: Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, England, 2023/4: Common mental health conditions. NHS England, 27 November 2025 digital.nhs.uk.
4. [4] National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 5 October 2023 abs.gov.au.
5. [5] Depression Prevalence in Adolescents and Adults: United States, August 2021-August 2023. National Center for Health Statistics (CDC), NCHS Data Brief No. 527 (Brody and Hughes), April 2025 cdc.gov.
6. [6] Association of major depressive disorder with chronic diseases and multimorbidity in Brazilian adults, stratified by gender: 2019 National Health Survey. Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia (Sousa et al.), 2021 europepmc.org.
7. [7] Prevalence and determinants of heavy episodic drinking among adults in Kenya: analysis of the STEPwise survey, 2015. BMC Public Health (Kendagor et al.), 2018 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
8. [8] 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.
9. [9] Suicide worldwide in 2021: global health estimates. World Health Organization, 2025 iris.who.int.
10. [10] Mental Health Treatment Among Adults: United States, 2019. National Center for Health Statistics (Terlizzi and Zablotsky), September 2020 cdc.gov.
11. [11] Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey: Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, England, 2023/4: Mental health treatment and service use. NHS England (Clery et al.), 27 November 2025 digital.nhs.uk.
12. [12] Meta-analyses of the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and mental health-related outcomes. Journal of Counseling Psychology (Wong et al.), 2017 europepmc.org.