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National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Latest release

Summary statistics on key mental health issues including national and state and territory estimates of prevalence of mental disorders

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Reference period
2020-2022

Key statistics

  • 42.9% of people aged 16–85 years had experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life
  • 21.5% of people had a 12-month mental disorder, with Anxiety being the most common group (17.2% of people aged 16–85 years)
  • 38.8% of people aged 16–24 years had a 12-month mental disorder

Mental health is a key component of overall health and wellbeing. A mental disorder is characterised by a 'clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour'.[1] The term itself covers a range of disorders including Anxiety, Affective and Substance Use disorders.

A person may be negatively affected by symptoms of mental health concerns without necessarily meeting the criteria for a mental disorder. Mental health affects and is affected by multiple socioeconomic factors, including a person’s access to services, living conditions and employment status, and impacts not only the individual but also their families and carers.[2]

The ABS recognises people who have a lived experience of mental health concerns and that having­ ­– or not having ­– mental health concerns does not define a person. We acknowledge that people are living productive, purposeful and meaningful lives with mental health concerns. We acknowledge their unique experiences, and those of carers, families and supporters of people living with mental health concerns.

The ABS uses, and supports the use of, the Mindframe guidelines on responsible, accurate and safe reporting on suicide, mental health concerns and alcohol and other drugs. The ABS recommends referring to these guidelines when reporting on statistics in this report.

Some of the statistics in this report may cause distress. Services you can contact are detailed in blue boxes throughout this page and in the Mental health resources section at the bottom of this page.

Crisis support services

24 hours, 7 days

Lifeline: 13 11 14 

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978

Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800

13YARN: 13 92 76

For further information see Mental health resources

COVID-19

Prevalence of mental disorders

Definition of lifetime and 12-month mental disorders

Prevalence of lifetime mental disorders

Lifetime and 12-month mental disorders, 2020–2022

Flowchart showing numbers of people aged 16–85 years with lifetime and 12-month mental disorders.

Total population aged 16–85 years is 19,829,600, or 100%. This branches into two groups: 

  • People with any lifetime mental disorder, which is 8,514,700, or 42.9%. See footnote (a)
  • People with no lifetime mental disorder, which is 11,318,600 or 57.1%.

The population group with a lifetime mental disorder branches into:

  • People with any 12-month mental disorder, which is 4,263,100, or 21.5%. See footnote (b)
  • People without any 12-month mental disorder, which is 4,244,200, or 21.4%.
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  1. People who had experienced at least one mental disorder at some time in their life.
  2. People who had experienced at least one mental disorder at some time in their life and had sufficient symptoms of that disorder in the 12 months prior to the survey.

Prevalence of 12-month mental disorders

12-month Anxiety disorders

12-month Affective disorders

12-month Substance Use disorders

Comorbidity of mental disorders and physical conditions

Comorbidity is the co-occurrence of more than one disease and/or disorder in an individual. A person with co-occurring diseases or disorders is likely to experience more severe and chronic medical, social and emotional problems than if they had a single disease or disorder.[7]

In this section, physical conditions have only been included where a person reported having been told by a doctor or nurse that they currently had the long-term physical health condition, which had lasted, or was expected to last, for 6 months or more.

In 2020–2022, 4.3 million people (21.5%) aged 16–85 years had a 12-month mental disorder while 7.5 million people (37.9%) had a selected physical condition:

  • 1.7 million people (8.4%) had both a 12-month mental disorder and a physical condition
  • 2.6 million people (13.1%) had a 12-month mental disorder only
  • 5.8 million people (29.5%) had a physical condition only.

a. Comorbidity data presented in this figure does not incorporate hierarchy rules which give precedence to diagnosis of one mental disorder over another.

Use of services

Consultations with health professionals for mental health

In 2020–2022, 17.4% of Australians (3.4 million people) aged 16–85 years saw a health professional for their mental health in the 12 months prior to interview:

  • 21.6% of females saw a health professional for their mental health, compared with 12.9% of males
  • 22.9% of people aged 16–34 years saw a health professional for their mental health, compared with 17.4% of people aged 35–64 years and 8.1% of people aged 65–85 years
  • 12.4% of people saw a general practitioner for their mental health and 7.8% saw a psychologist.
  1. In the 12 months prior to interview.

    There were 4.3 million Australians aged 16–85 years with a 12-month mental disorder. Of these, 1.9 million (45.1%) saw a health professional for their mental health in 2020–2022:

    • Females with a 12-month mental disorder were more likely to have seen a health professional for their mental health than males with a 12-month mental disorder (51.1% compared with 36.4%)
    • People aged 16–34 years with a 12-month mental disorder were more likely to have seen a health professional for their mental health than people aged 65–85 years with a 12-month mental disorder (46.2% compared with 35.1%)
    • 35.5% of people with a 12-month mental disorder saw a general practitioner for their mental health and 21.3% saw a psychologist.
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.
    2. Includes mental health nurse and other mental health professional, specialist doctor or surgeon and other health professional.
    3. Also includes hospital admissions for mental health.

    Other services for mental health accessed using digital technologies

    In addition to mental health related consultations with health professionals, people also accessed other services for their mental health using phone, internet, or another digital technology. Nearly 945,000 Australians (4.8%) aged 16–85 years used these methods to access other services for their mental health in the 12 months prior to interview:

    • Females were almost twice as likely as males to have accessed other services by phone, internet, or another digital technology (6.0% compared with 3.6%)
    • 8.2% of people aged 16–34 years accessed other services by phone, internet, or another digital technology compared with 1.0% of people aged 65–85 years
    • 11.1% of females aged 16–34 years accessed other services by phone, internet, or another digital technology compared with 5.3% of males in the same age group.
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.
    2. Proportions for males aged 65–85 has a relative standard error of 25–50% and should be used with caution.

    There were 4.3 million Australians aged 16–85 years with a 12-month mental disorder. Of these, 607,700 (14.3%) accessed other services for their mental health by phone, internet, or another digital technology in 2020–2022:

    • Females with a 12-month mental disorder were more likely to have accessed other services for their mental health by phone, internet, or another digital technology than males (15.9% compared with 12.4%)
    • People aged 16–34 years with a 12-month mental disorder were more likely to have accessed other services for their mental health by phone, internet, or another digital technology than people aged 35–64 years (18.2% compared with 12.0%).
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.

    Mental health-related medications

    This section presents information on mental health-related medications sourced from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). While these medications are commonly prescribed for treating mental health conditions, they may also be prescribed to treat other conditions. PBS data cannot determine what condition a medication was prescribed for and only shows that a medication has been dispensed. Additionally, the data does not provide information on how or if the medication was used.

    In 2020–2022, 17.6% of Australians (3.5 million people) aged 16–85 years were dispensed at least one PBS subsidised mental health-related medication in the 12 months prior to interview:

    • 21.6% of females were dispensed at least one mental health-related medication compared with 13.5% of males
    • 12.0% of people aged 16–34 years were dispensed at least one mental health-related medication, compared with 18.0% of people aged 35–64 years and 25.8% people aged 65–85 years
    • 14.2% of Australians aged 16–85 years were dispensed at least one Antidepressants medication and 3.1% were supplied with at least one Anxiolytics medication.
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.

    Mental health-related medications dispensed to people with a 12-month mental disorder

    There were 4.3 million Australians aged 16–85 years with a 12-month mental disorder. Of these, 1.4 million (33.3%) were dispensed at least one PBS subsidised mental health-related medication in the 12 months prior to interview:

    • 37.3% of females with a 12-month mental disorder were dispensed at least one mental health-related medication, compared with 27.7% of males
    • 51.0% of people aged 65–85 years with a 12-month mental health disorder were dispensed at least one mental health-related medication, compared with 25.1% of people aged 16–34 years
    • 29.4% of people with a 12-month mental disorder were dispensed at least one Antidepressants medication.
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.

    People who were dispensed a mental health-related medication

    Of the 3.5 million people aged 16–85 years who were dispensed at least one PBS subsidised mental health-related medication in the 12 months prior to interview, 40.7% had a 12-month mental disorder, 24.2% had a lifetime disorder with no 12-month symptoms, and the remainder (34.9%) had no lifetime disorder. These proportions varied according to type of medication:

    • 55.1% of people who were dispensed at least one Antipsychotics medication had a 12-month mental disorder
    • 55.1% of people who were dispensed at least one Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics medication had a 12-month mental disorder
    • 56.1% of people who were dispensed at least one Hypnotics and sedatives medication had no lifetime disorder.
    1. In the 12 months prior to interview.

    Lived experience of suicide

    Suicidal behaviour is complex, with many influencing factors. Dealing with stressful or traumatic past or present events, death, separation, loss, bullying, mental ill-health, alcohol and drugs can play a role in causing emotional pain. Other factors may include life-changing events, family history and relationships, work, education, and social pressures.[8]

    Suicide can also have a profound emotional effect not only on family and friends, but on the whole community.[9] The ABS acknowledges the individuals, families and communities affected by suicide each year in Australia.

    Support services

    24 hours, 7 days:

    Lifeline: 13 11 14

    Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 

    Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 (for people aged 5 to 25 years)

    MensLine Australia: 1300 789 978

    StandBy - Support After Suicide: 1300 727 247

    Suicidal thoughts and behaviours in the NSMHW refer to whether a person had ever seriously thought about taking their own life, made a plan to take their own life, or attempted to take their own life, and whether they had done so in the last 12 months. A person must have said they had seriously thought about taking their own life to be asked if they had made a plan and/or attempt.

    In 2020–2022, one in six Australians (16.7% or 3.3 million people) aged 16–85 years had experienced any suicidal thoughts or behaviours in their life, while 3.3% (644,600 people) had experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviours in the previous 12 months. This includes:

    • 3.3% of people who had seriously thought about taking their own life
    • 1.2% who had made a plan to take their own life
    • 0.3% who had attempted to take their own life.

    a. A person must have said they had seriously thought about taking their life to be then asked if they had made a plan or attempt to take their own life. Rates for ‘Any suicidal thoughts or behaviours’ are therefore the same as for ‘Thoughts’.
    b. Proportions for males have a relative standard error of 25–50% and should be used with caution.

    Of the 644,600 people who reported any suicidal thoughts or behaviours in the last 12 months, three in four (74.9%) had a 12-month mental disorder.

    The NSMHW asked people whether they have ever been close to someone who had taken or attempted to take their own life. More than one in three people (36.2%) aged 16–85 years had ever been close to someone who had taken or attempted to take their own life, while 4.7% had been close to someone who had taken or attempted to take their own life in the last 12 months.

    Self-harm

    Self-harm refers to a person intentionally causing pain or damage to their own body. This behaviour may be motivated as a way of expressing or controlling distressing feelings or thoughts. Self-harm and suicide are distinct and separate acts although some people who self-harm are at an increased risk of suicide.[10]

    In 2020–2022, 8.7% of Australians (1.7 million people) aged 16–85 years had self-harmed in their lifetime and 1.7% (342,100) had self-harmed in the previous 12 months:

    • Females had higher rates of self-harm than males in the previous 12 months (2.2% compared with 1.2%) as well as across their lifetime (10.4% compared with 6.8%)
    • More than one in four females (27.9%) aged 16–24 years had self-harmed in their lifetime
    • 8.7% of females aged 16–24 years had self-harmed in the last 12 months, compared with 3.3% of males aged 16–24 years.

     

    1. Proportions for persons aged 45–54 and 55–85 have a relative standard error of 25–50% and should be used with caution.

    Prevalence of mental disorders by state and territory

    This release presents limited estimates for states and territories. The NSMHW sample was designed to provide reliable national-level estimates. While estimates are available for each state and territory, the sample size does not allow for detailed analysis and care should be taken if comparing states and territories. 

    Additionally, the scope of the NSMHW excludes people living in Very Remote areas and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This is unlikely to impact national estimates and will only have a minor impact on aggregate estimates produced for individual states and territories, except the Northern Territory where the excluded population accounts for around 21% of people.

    Interpreting sampling error for states and territories

    New South Wales

    Victoria

    Queensland

    South Australia

    Western Australia

    Tasmania

    Northern Territory

    Australian Capital Territory

    Modelled estimates for Primary Health Networks

    The NSMHW was designed to provide reliable national-level estimates. Reliable direct estimates for sub-state regions are therefore not possible. Instead, statistical modelling techniques combining NSMHW data with administrative data sources and the ABS 2021 Census have been used to produce modelled estimates for 2020–2022 for each Primary Health Network (PHN) in Australia. 

    Modelled estimates are provided in the Data downloads section. These include estimates of the number of people with 12-month mental disorders, as well as selected other mental health-related topics.

    Interpreting modelled estimates

    The modelled estimates are intended to provide an indication of the likely number and age/sex distribution of people with particular attributes (e.g. people with a 12-month mental disorder) within each PHN in Australia. Used in conjunction with an understanding of local area characteristics, they can assist decision-making on issues such as requirements for services. The modelled estimates and proportions may not be appropriate for all instances, as some circumstances unique to particular PHNs are not able to be captured by the models used. Comparisons between modelled estimates for PHNs are therefore generally not recommended.

    For more information see Modelled estimates for Primary Health Networks in the Methodology. 

    Mental health resources

    Crisis support: available 24 hours, 7 days
    OrganisationAboutTelephone numberWebsite
    LifelineProvides access to crisis support and suicide prevention services.13 11 14lifeline.org.au
    Suicide Call Back ServiceProvides immediate telephone counselling and support in a crisis.1300 659 467suicidecallbackservice.org.au
    Beyond BlueSupporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide.1300 224 636beyondblue.org.au
    MensLine AustraliaTelephone and online support, information and referral service for men with concerns about family and relationships, mental health, anger management, family violence (using and experiencing), substance abuse and wellbeing. The service is available from anywhere in Australia and is staffed by professional counsellors, experienced in men’s issues.1300 789 978mensline.org.au
    Kids HelplineTelephone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.1800 551 800kidshelpline.com.au
    ReachOutOnline mental health service for under-25s and their parents. au.reachout.com
    National Alcohol and Other Drugs HotlineHotline for anyone affected by alcohol or other drugs. Support includes counselling, advice and referral to local services.1800 250 015 
    Family Drug Support

    Help for individuals and families dealing with drug and alcohol use. Also provide support groups, education programs, counselling and bereavement services for families.

    		1300 368 186fds.org.au
    1800RESPECT

    National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service.

    		1800 737 7321800respect.org.au
    13YARN

    Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line for people feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.

    		13 92 7613yarn.org.au
    StandBy - Support After SuicideAustralia’s leading suicide postvention program dedicated to assisting people and communities bereaved or impacted by suicide, including individuals, families, friends, witnesses, first responders and service providers.1300 727 247standbysupport.com.au

    State and territory support and resources

    Other selected support and resources

    Endnotes

    1. World Health Organization, 'Mental disorders', accessed 4 October 2023.
    2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 'Mental Health', accessed 1 September 2023.
    3. Health Direct, ‘Anxiety conditions’, accessed 18 July 2023.
    4. Health Direct, ‘Mood disorders’, accessed 18 July 2023.
    5. Head to Health, 'Depressive disorders', accessed 18 July 2023.
    6. Lifeline, 'Substance misuse’, accessed 18 July 2023.
    7. Equally Well, ‘Improving the physical health and wellbeing of people living with mental illness in Australia’, accessed 21 July 2023.
    8. Lifeline, ‘Causes of suicide’, accessed 18 July 2023.
    9. Headspace, 'Understanding Suicide - Information for Communities', accessed 19 July 2023.
    10. Mindframe, 'Communicating about self-harm', accessed 29 September 2023.

    Data downloads

    Download all (803.02 KB)

    Mental health, National

    Data files
    Download all (575.05 KB)

    Mental health, State and Territory

    Data files
    Download all (1.17 MB)

    Mental health, Primary Health Networks - modelled estimates

    Data files

    Previous catalogue number

    This release previously used catalogue number 4326.0.

    Post release changes

    26/07/2024

    22/03/2024

    01/12/2023

    Methodology

    Scope

    Includes:

    • all usual residents in Australia aged 16–85 years living in private dwellings
    • urban and rural areas in all states and territories, excluding Very Remote parts of Australia and discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

    Geography

    The data available includes estimates for:

    • Australia
    • States and territories.

    Source

    The Survey of Health and Wellbeing conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Medications data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

    Collection method

    Face-to-face interview with an Australian Bureau of Statistics Interviewer. Linkage to the Person Level Integrated Data Asset.

    Concepts, sources and methods

    Mental disorders are classified according to the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).

    History of changes

    For 2020-2022, medications data was sourced from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) rather than collected directly from survey respondents.

    View full methodology

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