How much do you know about mental health? Answers to our Instagram quiz

Abstract palm hands touching brain with network connections, innovative technology in science and communication concept

What we learned from World Mental Health Day earlier this week Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto

1. What is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation?

Depression. More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. Meanwhile, 260 million people suffer from anxiety disorders. Many live with both conditions. Read more here.

2. Which of these types of exercise does more to prevent depression, according to a recent study in the Lancet?

Cycling. The study, which surveyed more than 1 million Americans, found that while all exercise is good for our mental health, team sports and cycling are the most beneficial forms. Read a summary of the study here.

3. Most mental illnesses start at the beginning of adulthood - true or false?

False. Roughly half of all lifelong mental illnesses appear before the age of 14. The median age of onset for anxiety and impulse-control is even younger, at 11 years. Three-quarters of all lifetime cases start before the age of 24.

4. Which public figure has just penned a Guardian article calling for better support and funding for people with mental illness?

Lady Gaga. Two years ago the singer and actor revealed she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. “I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day,” she said. Read her recent article here.

5. Which age group suffers most from loneliness, according to a recent survey?

16-24 year olds. More than 55,000 people took part in the BBC Loneliness Experiment this year, making it the largest survey of its kind. It found that 40% of young people feel lonely, compared with 27% of those aged 75 and above. Read more here.

6. If not properly addressed, how much could mental health problems cost the global economy by 2030?

$16 trillion. Every country in the world is failing to tackle a mental health crisis, according to the Lancet's Commission on Global Mental Health. Meanwhile, data on the economic cost of mental illness indicates that the financial burden of not addressing this challenge will be huge.

How many did you get right?

Head over to our Instagram Story and let us know in the DMs. You can follow our Instagram account here.

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

Sign up for free

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Share:
A hand holding a looking glass by a lake
Crowdsource Innovation
Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale
World Economic Forum logo
Global Agenda

The Agenda Weekly

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

Subscribe today

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails. For more details, review our privacy policy.

About us

Engage with us

  • Sign in
  • Partner with us
  • Become a member
  • Sign up for our press releases
  • Subscribe to our newsletters
  • Contact us

Quick links

Language editions

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Sitemap

© 2024 World Economic Forum