People experiencing stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms by age group worldwide 2022 | Statista (2024)

FAQs

What age group is most stressed in 2022? ›

A survey conducted in 2022 found that young adults aged between 18 and 24 were more likely to suffer from moderate to severe stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms.

Findings. In this cross-sectional study of 3 028 923 US adults, anxiety and depression were significantly higher among adults aged 18 to 39 years (40% and 33%, respectively) compared with adults aged 40 years and older (31% and 24%, respectively).

More women report experiencing high levels of anxiety than men: In 2022/23, an average of 37.1% of women and 29.9% of men reported high levels of anxiety.

Approximately 284 million people suffer from anxiety disorders, and 264 million people suffer from depressive disorders worldwide [1].

The prevalence of anxiety was found to be in the range of normal (11.6%), mild (4.4%), moderate (19.4%), severe (17.8%) and extremely severe (46.8%). Stress was normal (15.6%), mild (33.8%), moderate (35.4%), severe (13.2%) and extremely severe (2.8%) in current findings.

By the numbers: Gen Z — people roughly between the ages of 12 and 27 —reports the poorest mental health of any generation, according to a recent Gallup and Walton Family Foundation report. Just 44% of Gen Zers say they feel prepared for the future.

Roughly 301 million people, an estimated 4% of the global population, have an anxiety disorder . Age group: One survey found that young people are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety than older adults. In adolescents between 13 and 18 years old, 31.9% are affected by anxiety disorders.

Anxiety does not have a particular age at which it peaks; it can happen later or earlier in life for different people, all based on the triggers that cause you to have an anxiety attack.

More than 31% of U.S. people will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetimes. Anxiety disorders are more common in females than males. Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders, affecting around 12% of U.S. adults at some point in their lives.

Mental health in general

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally 1 out of every 4 people will be impacted by mental illness at some point in their lives. 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression.

What is the worldwide rate of depression? ›

What percentage of people have depression? Depression is common. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 280 million people worldwide have depression, including 5% of the world's adults and 5.7% of adults above age 60.

Look around you and name three things you see. Then, name three sounds you hear. Finally, move three parts of your body — your ankle, fingers, or arm. Whenever you feel your brain going 100 miles per hour, this mental trick can help center your mind, bringing you back to the present moment, Chansky says.

50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

Young adults in America like Hannah are reporting higher stress levels than older generations, with 18- to 34-year-olds saying their average stress level is a 6 out of 10, compared with a 3.4 among people ages 65 and older, APA's 2023 Stress in America survey found.

Although the stress of experiencing a continuing polycrisis affects people of all demographics, recent research from GlobeScan shows that Gen Z respondents across 31 countries and territories are more than twice as likely to say they frequently experience stress and anxiety than are Baby Boomers and older.

In the short term, Gen Z's stress is leading to ambivalence and withdrawal in their professional lives. According to 2022 data from Gallup, they are the most disengaged group at work. They also report more overall stress and work-related burnout than other cohorts.

Younger adult women (ages 18 to 34) were more likely to report that most days their stress is completely overwhelming, in comparison with older women (62% vs. 48% 35–44; 27% 45–64; 9% 65+) and men ages 35 or older (62% vs. 48% 35–44; 21% 45–64; 8% 65+).