The U.S. Ranks Among the Worst Mental Health in the World.

Addressing Hopelessness as a Global Public Health Priority

Dr Mark van Ommeren, Head of the Mental Health and Substance Use Unit at WHO headquarters in Geneva, shared findings from two major global health surveys conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization and Harvard University while in Barcelos at the WFMH Congress. It consistently placed the United States among the nations with the highest prevalence of mental health conditions. Specifically, the data showed the U.S. in the worst in the world for mental health in the community. 

Furthermore, supplementary data sourced from the OECD’s Health at a Glance report highlights concerning specific outcomes, such as ranking the United States as the third worst among comparable nations for symptoms of depression among adults aged over 50. These reports collectively indicate a significant and widespread public mental health challenge in the U.S. compared to many other high-income countries, and the need for immediate, whole society solutions. Hope, a protective factor for anxiety and depression, is a critical factor in driving change.

Mark called for a change in thinking for how we address mental health work in the field. Currently, spend much of our time and resources addressing crisis, the most expensive time to change mental health outcomes. Instead, we must move to prevention approaches, and our Hope programming address that specifically.

At the World Federation for Mental Health Congress in Portugal, I shared a message that resonated deeply: Hope may be the single most powerful predictor of human flourishing; more influential than any traditional measure of success.

Yet, across the globe, hopelessness continues to grow. Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide are climbing, with devastating impacts on individuals, workplaces, families, and communities.

To change this trajectory, we must reimagine mental health and shift our focus from treating illness to cultivating hope, prevention, and well-being.

This is why Hope must become a global public health priority.

At The Shine Hope Company and iFred (International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression Hope), we are working to ensure that Hope is recognized as a public health priority and that everyone has access to the tools to build it.

Through our research, programs, and global campaigns, we are proving that Hope is not wishful thinking. It is a measurable, teachable, and actionable skill that transforms lives, communities, and entire cities.

Join Us for International Day of Hope 2026

We’re inviting you to join the worldwide movement to Activate Hope.

Measure your Hope. Teach Hope. Share Hope.
Let’s build a global culture where Hope is practiced, strengthened, and celebrated.

Together, we keep Shining Hope.

Stress and Burnout Summit 2025

I’ll be speaking at the upcoming Stress and Burnout Summit 2025. This year, it’s set to be even more transformative.

From November 17–21, thousands of people around the world will come together to learn not just how to manage stress, but how to master it — moving from stressed and overwhelmed to calm, resilient, and thriving.

Register here:  www.stressandburnoutsummit.com

Fall 2025 DSE Graduate Studies Research Conference on Social Cognition and Mental Health

How do our thoughts, emotions, and compassion shape mental well-being?
I’ll be joining with experts Merida McCarthy and Esther Suncin for a thought-provoking virtual discussion on Social Cognition and Mental Health, exploring how understanding ourselves and others can transform the way we connect and heal.

Don’t miss this empowering hour of insight, compassion, and Hope.

Check Out Our New Course! Remember Your Power: My Shine Hope Story Course Building from the Past

Your story has power, and it’s time to claim it.

Remember Your Power: My Shine Hope Story Course Building from the Past is a short, life-changing course designed to help you reconnect with your inner strength, rediscover purpose, and transform your journey into an inspiring Shine Hope Story.

Through simple, guided exercises, you’ll:

• Uncover the lessons hidden in your challenges
• Reignite your sense of resilience and purpose
• Craft a personal story that reminds you—and others—of your light

You’ll finish not only with a story you’re proud of, but a renewed sense of confidence, clarity, and hope.

Got Hope? Now, you can measure yours.

Hope isn’t just a feeling; it’s the protective factor against anxiety, depression, suicide, addiction, and violence. The good news? Hope can be measured, learned, and strengthened.

Today, we invite you to measure your Hope. Discover where you are, share your results, and invite three friends to do the same.

Take the Hope Score today, share your results, and challenge three friends to do the same.

The Beginning of A Journey, Featuring H. Reese Butler II

When tragedy struck, H. Reese Butler II transformed his grief into action, founding 1-800-SUICIDE, the nation’s first networked suicide prevention hotline. More than twenty years later, his vision has connected millions to life-saving help and Hope. In this moving conversation, Reese shares the light-bulb moment that began it all, the obstacles he faced building a lifeline before “mental health awareness” was mainstream, and the lessons he’s learned from a lifetime dedicated to saving others.

Listen to this powerful episode with inspiring stories, only at Hope Matrix.