In September 2025 the World Health Organization released two major reports, World Mental Health Today and the Mental Health Atlas 2024. Together they give the clearest recent picture of how the world is doing on mental health.
The headline findings
More than one billion people are living with a mental health condition. Anxiety and depression are now among the leading causes of long-term disability. At the same time, governments spend a median of only about two percent of their health budgets on mental health, with large gaps between richer and poorer countries. The reports point to shortages in money, laws and trained staff rather than a lack of knowledge about what works.
What WHO is asking countries to do
The priorities are fair financing, laws and policies that protect people’s rights, more investment in trained professionals, and care that is closer to where people live and built around the person, not just the diagnosis.
What this means in Kenya
Kenya faces the same pattern. Many people wait a long time before seeking help, cost and distance are real barriers, and there are far fewer psychologists and counsellors than the need. The encouraging side is that support does not have to begin in a hospital. Early conversations with a registered psychologist, workplace and school programmes, and online sessions can reach people sooner.
What you can do now
Mental health is health. You can look after it the way you look after your body: notice early signs, talk to someone, and ask for professional help before things become overwhelming.
Take the next step
If something here sounds familiar, you do not have to work it out alone. You can try a private self-check test or schedule a call with Winfred. Calls and sessions are confidential, in person or online.
Source: read the original article. This page is an independent summary with added context.