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Depression, anxiety crisis deepens in India: Lancet study shows cases surged 123% between 1990 and 2023

Mental disorders spiralling with Indian teenagers and women facing the sharpest rise in anxiety and depression after Covid-19

4 min readUpdated: May 23, 2026 01:53 PM IST

Nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions, almost double the number recorded in 1990. (File photo)

Anxiety disorders in India rose significantly by 123.5 per cent between 1990 and 2023, according to a new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study published in The Lancet.

The prevalence rate increased from 2,591.9 cases per lakh in 1990 to 5,792.8 per lakh in 2023, largely driven by rising numbers of anxiety and depression.

Nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide are living with mental health conditions, almost double the number recorded in 1990 as per the study led by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in collaboration with partners at the University of Queensland.

A significant health burden was imposed by mental disorders in all countries and territories in 2023, irrespective of the health resources available, which, according to the study, has placed mental disorders as the leading cause of disability globally, surpassing cardiovascular disease, cancer and musculoskeletal conditions.

Inside the India spiral

In India, as per the study, the prevalence rate of 316.3 cases of schizophrenia per lakh population climbed to 321 per lakh in 2023. The prevalence of major depressive disorders also rose from 2,147.1 per lakh in 1990 to 2,799.6 per lakh. The prevalence of dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) was 902.4 per lakh population in 1990, which rose to 948.8 cases per lakh in 2023.

“Anxiety and depression showed an increase particularly post Covid-19. Anxiety disorders have increased globally across time and the reasons include compounding environmental stresses, shifting modern lifestyles and increased awareness that leads to better reporting,” says Dr Pratima Murthy, former director of NIMHANS (not attached with the study).

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Dr Girish Rao, professor of epidemiology, NIMHANS, says at least 150 million Indians required care of mental disorders as per the first national mental health survey in 2015-16.

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Mental health burden peaks among 15-19 year-olds

The study examined the prevalence and burden of mental disorders across both sexes in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. Since 2019, the age-standardised prevalence of major depressive disorder has risen by about 24 per cent, while anxiety disorders have increased by more than 47 per cent, with both conditions peaking in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“These rising trends may reflect both the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and longer-term structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, abuse, violence and declining social connectedness. Addressing this growing challenge will require sustained investment in mental health systems, expanded access to care and coordinated global action to better support populations most at risk,” says first author Dr. Damian Santomauro, associate professor at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. “Our findings show that mental disorder burden peaks among 15–19-year-olds, which is a critical developmental period that can shape trajectories for education, employment, and relationships,” co-author Dr Alize Ferrari, honorary associate professor at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research adds.

Women experienced higher rates of anxiety and depression in 2023

In 2023, 620 million women of all ages were living with a mental disorder compared to 552 million men of all ages globally. Women experienced higher rates of anxiety and depression in 2023, while neurodevelopmental and behavioural disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorder and autism were found to be more common in males, peaking during adolescence. The study also highlights significant gaps in treatment, with only 9% of people with depression and anxiety receiving even minimally adequate care, such as a combination of medication and support from a health care provider.

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Dr Murthy feels the National Mental Health Survey-2 (NMHS 2) can get us the current prevalence rate of psychiatric disorders. “It is being carried out across all states and UTs covering a population of 2.5 lakh people. Apart from the adult population, it is systematically assessing children, adolescents, tribal and vulnerable populations. The survey is also estimating disability, treatment gaps (which were upwards of 75 % in NMHS-1) emerging mental health problems like loneliness, barriers to care, health system responses and family burden as well as household economic impact,” she says. This, she believes, can give a systematic evaluation of the problem as well as human resource availability, service delivery capacity, referral pathways, programme implementation gaps and help articulate both a national and state-wise response to specific mental health issues.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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