Adi Joaquim Tolentino

Photo Courtesy of GMA Network.

The Philippines’ average mental health quotient (MHQ) dropped to 68.76 in 2024 from 78.44 in 2023, according to the Mental State of the World report by Washington D.C.-based non-profit Sapien Labs, which surveyed over 1 million respondents across 82 countries.

Despite the decline, the Philippines’ MHQ still ranked higher than the global average of 62.84, placing the country in the “managing” category, which describes individuals who report being fully productive about 70% of the time.

The MHQ, a comprehensive measure of emotional, cognitive, and social function, along with resilience and drive, helps gauge the ability of people to navigate life’s stresses and remain productive.

“Young adults are in a mental health crisis,” the report said, noting that Filipinos aged 18 to 24 had an MHQ of just 24.9, while those aged 25 to 34 scored 46.1—both under the “enduring” category, where productivity and wellbeing are significantly impaired.

In stark contrast, Filipino seniors reported high MHQ scores: 110.6 for ages 55 to 64, 115.5 for ages 65 to 74, and 112.9 for those 75 and older, all falling under the “succeeding” category.

Globally, younger adults fared the worst, with an average MHQ of only 38 across countries, far below the expected norm of 100.

The study highlighted troubling symptoms that are increasingly common among the younger generation, including obsessive thoughts, mood swings, guilt, anxiety, and a detachment from reality.

“Younger adults are also struggling with essential mental functions such as planning, focus, emotional resilience, and self-control,” the report added, citing a 4 to 5.4 times higher prevalence of these difficulties than older adults.

Sapien Labs identified key root causes driving the generational mental health gap, such as a lack of social connection, smartphone overuse, ultra-processed foods, and environmental toxins.

“These problems persist across countries regardless of mental health spending, which suggests that we need to rethink our strategy,” the report stated.

The organization called for a redirection of research to investigate and address these root causes to prevent further declines in mental well-being.

“We cannot accept a future where humanity is no longer able to navigate life and function productively,” the report warned.

In the Philippines, local studies estimate that around 11.3% to 11.6% of the population, or approximately 12.5 million people, suffer from mental disorders, mainly depression and anxiety.

These conditions are often intensified by poverty, inequality, natural disasters, and a lack of access to mental health services, experts have noted.

“Approaches to improving mental health in the Philippines must go beyond access to care; they should be culturally grounded, evidence-based, and anchored in care ethics,” a 2023 study published in Acta Medica Philippina emphasized. 

Global mental health efforts have expanded to include climate-related stress, indigenous healing, and digital wellness, while the Philippines, despite scoring above the global average, faces a concerning decline driven largely by the worsening mental health of its youth.