New research shows that more than 70 percent of people in Finland will receive a mental health diagnosis at some point before they turn 100. This extensive study by the University of Helsinki looked at health records of Finnish residents from age 1 up to 100, spanning two decades from 2000 to 2020.
The analysis found that 77 percent of women and 70 percent of men have been diagnosed with a mental health, behavioural, or neurodevelopmental disorder. When excluding memory-related illnesses and mental health problems caused by physical diseases, the numbers drop to 66 percent for women and 60 percent for men.
The leading diagnoses reported were anxiety and mood disorders. Depression stands out as the most common mood disorder. Boys tend to be diagnosed earlier, around age six, mostly with neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD. Girls generally receive diagnoses later, typically between 15 and 19 years old, most often for anxiety or mood disorders.
The researchers used a statistical model that assumes a maximum lifespan of 100 years. This approach made it possible to project diagnosis rates across the whole population in Finland.
Kimmo Suokas, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, commented on the findings. “Mental health issues affect most people during their lives, either personally or through someone close to them,” he said.
Christian Hakulinen, associate professor at the same university, highlighted the broad data sources. The study incorporated information from both primary healthcare and specialist services. This gave a wider view than earlier studies, which often looked at smaller or more limited groups.
The researchers did not confirm whether the number of diagnoses is increasing, but suggested several factors that might explain the high rates. The growth of mental health services and a lower threshold for seeking help could be key reasons.
Both Hakulinen and Suokas also pointed out the growing public conversation around mental health. Reduced stigma and more media coverage likely encourage more people to come forward.
“There are many shared stories about mental health issues in the media,” Hakulinen said.
The way mental health disorders are defined has also changed over time. This makes it hard to compare current figures with those from the past.
For instance, only about 1.2 percent of Finns were classified as mentally ill in the 1930s under the definitions used then. Since that time, the understanding and categorization of mental health have widened.
The study classified disorders using the ICD-10 system. This includes a range of conditions such as substance use disorders, psychoses, personality disorders, developmental disorders including ADHD, and dementias.
Similar studies from countries like Denmark and New Zealand report over 80 percent of people receive comparable diagnoses during their lifetimes.
The World Health Organization has recently updated its language. It increasingly refers to “mental health problems” instead of “mental disorders” to better reflect the variety of psychological challenges people face.
