Mental Health Stigma Statistics
Key mental health stigma statistics in Australia and across the globe.
- Most Australians with mental illness still face widespread stigma.
- Fear of workplace discrimination prevents employees from disclosing conditions.
- Personal relationships are severely impacted by mental health discrimination.
- Shame and judgment remain major barriers to seeking professional care.
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Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to improving mental health outcomes in Australia. Even as awareness grows, millions of people still experience judgement, exclusion, or discrimination - at work, in their communities, and even within their own families.
Mental health stigma affects whether people feel safe seeking help, whether they disclose concerns at work, and whether organisations create environments where mental health is genuinely supported rather than quietly avoided.
This roundup brings together the latest data from Australia and beyond to show how stigma is showing up in 2026 - and why tackling it remains essential for workplaces, communities, and policymakers. Here’s what the numbers reveal.
National Prevalence of Mental Health Stigma
Almost 75% of Australians living with a mental illness report experiencing stigma. [1]
More than four million Australians experienced mental-health-related stigma or discrimination in the previous 12 months. [2]
Over 30% of people believe depression is caused by a “weak personality.” [3]
Workplace Mental Health Stigma & Disclosure
78.1% of people with mental illness experienced stigma or discrimination related to employment in the past year. [4]
Nearly 80% of people with complex mental health issues reported unfair treatment from employers, supervisors, or managers. [5]
Nearly 70% say stigma is most prominent in the workplace, and only 7% always feel comfortable speaking about their mental health with their employer. [6]
More than half (52%) say stigma has jeopardised or negatively affected their job. [6]
More than half of Australian workers say they would hide a mental or physical health condition to avoid discrimination. [7]
42% of workers with poor mental health did not discuss their mental health with anyone at work in the previous year. [8]
53% of professionals are hesitant to discuss mental health at work due to fears of discrimination or reduced opportunities. [9]
Around half of American workers feel uncomfortable discussing mental health at work, and one-third fear career consequences if they seek help. [10]
Only 20% of workers feel completely comfortable talking about their mental health. [10]
Comfort levels differ by age: 62% of Millennials feel comfortable discussing mental health at work, compared to just 32% of Baby Boomers. [10]
Social & Relationship Stigma
95.6% of people experienced stigma or discrimination in their personal relationships in the past year, with 69.1% saying it significantly affected their lives. [4]
47% of people with schizophrenia experienced discrimination when making or keeping friends, and 43% experienced it from family members. [11]
Barriers to Seeking Care
Stigma is one of the leading global reasons people do not seek mental health care. [12]
12.6% avoided treatment because they feared negative judgement from neighbours or their community. [13]
Almost 12% avoided treatment because they feared it would negatively affect their job. [13]
56% of people experiencing mental ill-health still feel ashamed, despite believing stigma has improved. [14]
29% say they feel “too embarrassed” to talk about their mental health, while 20% cite stigma as the main barrier. [14]
40% of men say it would take suicidal thoughts or self-harm for them to seek professional help. [15]
Only 37% of males with a 12-month mental disorder sought professional support, compared to 54.7% of females. [2]
FAQs
What is mental health stigma?
Mental health stigma involves the negative attitudes, stereotypes, or discrimination directed at individuals experiencing mental health conditions. It creates feelings of shame, social isolation, and reluctance to seek help.
How does mental health stigma affect the workplace?
Stigma stops employees from disclosing conditions or asking for support due to fears of negative judgment, missed promotions, or job loss. This often leads to increased absenteeism, lower engagement, and unmanaged workplace stress.
Why are employees hesitant to use traditional support programs (like EAPs)?
Many fear their employer will find out, while others face long wait times, phone trees, or awkward intake processes. Removing these barriers requires confidential, direct-access EAP platforms that allow staff to choose their own counselor discreetly.
What can organisations do to reduce mental health stigma?Workplaces can actively reduce stigma by:
- Framing psychological health as equal to physical health.
- Educating leaders and managers to spot psychosocial hazards.
- Normalising open conversations around mental wellbeing.
- Offering anonymous, barrier-free pathways for support and incident reporting.
Related Articles
- Practical Workplace Wellbeing Programs
- Employee Burnout Statistics
- Importance of Mental Health At Work
- How To Reduce Stress in the Workplace
- What is an EAP counsellor?
References
[1] SANE Australia. A Life Without Stigma: A SANE Report (2013)
[2] Comcare. Mental Health-Related Stigma (2023)
[3] Study on depression beliefs: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5798266/ [4] National Stigma Report Card. https://nationalstigmareportcard.com.au/ [5] National Stigma Report Card – Full Report
[6] WayAhead NSW. https://wayahead.org.au/94-of-australians-say-mental-health-stigma-prevails/ [7] ACAP Workplace Stigma Report.
[8] DCA Inclusion@Work Index 2021–2022
[9] Hays Australia: Mental Health Disclosure Poll
[10] American Psychiatric Association Public Opinion Poll (2019)
[11] The Lancet: Global Schizophrenia Discrimination Study
[12] Healthline. Mental Health Treatment Hindered by Stigma
[13] David Susman PhD. Reasons People Avoid Mental Health Care
[14] Mind UK. Mental Health Stigma Findings
[15] Priory Group. Men’s Mental Health Statistics
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Our last EAP was barely touched. Why would this be different?+
Most EAPs go unused because of how they're accessed, not because staff don't need them. Phoning a stranger, explaining yourself, then waiting weeks is enough to stop most people before they start. Foremind removes all three steps: staff see real counsellor profiles, pick someone themselves, and book the same day.
If you already have a provider, the question worth asking is what your current utilisation is. Most traditional EAPs sit in low single digits, which means you're paying for cover your people aren't reaching. If yours is being used, staff can get seen quickly, and it covers your psychosocial obligations, there's no reason to move. If not, it's worth knowing what you're getting for the spend.
Do you offer 24/7 support?+
Yes. A 24/7 after-hours crisis line means staff can reach someone immediately at any hour, including nights and weekends.
Counselling appointments are also available outside standard business hours, so shift-based and on-call teams aren't limited to a nine-to-five window. Those are two different things, and it's worth checking any provider offers both rather than just the crisis line.
Are your EAP counsellors based in Australia?+
Yes. Every practitioner on the platform holds current membership with an Australian professional body and practises under Australian standards, codes of ethics and disciplinary frameworks. There are no offshore call centres.
Practitioners hold membership with the Australian Counselling Association, the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, or the Australian Association of Social Workers, along with a current Working with Children or Vulnerable People Check.
How much does an EAP cost?+
Pricing is usually per employee per month, based on total headcount rather than how many people use the service. Costs vary widely depending on whether sessions are bundled in and whether compliance tooling is included.
A more useful comparison is cost per employee who actually uses it. An EAP with 2% utilisation can work out several times more expensive per person helped than one that gets used. Foremind offers pay-as-you-go, inclusive session plans and compliance-inclusive plans, with discounted pricing for not-for-profits and charities.
For full breakdown of our plans, see our EAP pricing page or request a quote for a tailored proposal.
What information does an employer receive about EAP usage?+
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.
Does having an EAP meet an employer's psychosocial duty of care?+
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.