One in Five in Sri Lanka Has a Mental Illness

01-Oct-2025

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One in five Sri Lankans suffers from some form of mental illness, revealed senior psychiatrist Dr. Sanjeevan Amarasinghe at a seminar held at the National Institute of Mental Health.

He said that 50% of suicides in the country are linked to mental illnesses.

Every day, 8 people die by suicide — around 3,200 annually.

Most youth are affected by major depression. Addiction to mobile phones, cannabis, and methamphetamine (“ice”), as well as alcoholism, have contributed significantly to rising mental health issues.