A meta-analysis of 192 studies finds that about a third of people who ever develop a mental health disorder do so by 14 and two-thirds by 25, though the peak age varies widely by condition.
Mental health conditions are not an adult problem. A meta-analysis of 192 studies found that among everyone who will ever develop one, about a third first do so by the age of 14, and two-thirds by 25.
Different conditions, different timetables
Anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder can appear at any point in life, with no sharp peak.
Social anxiety arrives earlier: almost 80% of people who will ever experience it do so before 18. Eating disorders peak at 16, with a median age of 18.
Substance use disorders and schizophrenia cluster in the twenties, peaking around age 20.
Knowing the timetable puts support in the right place
Knowing which ages are most vulnerable lets societies do the right thing at the right time: screening, risk assessment, early intervention.
But be careful: these curves describe the age of first onset, not how common a condition is. The depression curve sits far lower than the schizophrenia curve, yet depression is far more common in the population.
Definitions of onset also vary across studies, from first symptoms to diagnosis or first hospitalisation. Switching from symptoms to diagnosis alone moves depression's median onset age from 26 to 31.
Why it matters
Putting the peak risk at 14 and before 25 means schools and the first years of work are where intervention pays off most. Wait until adulthood and many people have already lived with a condition for a decade.
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