Nigeria, Tanzania Top Global Mental Health Charts, UK Alarmingly High on Unhappiness Index

A recent report has cast a spotlight on the state of global mental health, unveiling some unexpected findings about how countries rank in terms of their citizens’ mental well-being.

The “Mental State of the World” report, conducted by research organization Sapien Labs, presents a comprehensive overview of mental health across the globe, revealing that the United Kingdom ranks as the second most unhappy country, trailing just behind Uzbekistan.

The report draws on data from over 500,000 respondents across 71 countries, using a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) scale that ranges from -100 (very dissatisfied) to 200 to measure overall mental well-being. The UK’s low score of 49 on this scale is indicative of a broader trend of declining mental well-being observed globally.

Notably, the survey found that a significant proportion of people in certain countries reported feeling “distressed,” with 35% of Britons and South Africans, 34% of Brazilians, 33% of Australians, and 32% of Uzbekistanis expressing this sentiment. Conversely, countries such as Sri Lanka, Italy, Georgia, and Nigeria reported much lower levels of distress, ranging from 14% to 17%.

The findings challenge common perceptions linking wealth to well-being, as the report highlights that many Latin American and African countries, such as Tanzania, Nigeria, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, rank high on the list for mental well-being. In contrast, wealthier nations like the UK and Australia find themselves at the bottom.

This year’s report shows a concerning trend: the dramatic decline in mental well-being that began between 2019 and 2020, and persisted through the COVID-19 pandemic, shows no signs of recovery. With mental well-being remaining largely unchanged since 2021, the rankings of countries have also stayed relatively steady. Only a handful of countries have seen significant shifts in their mental well-being scores.