Hi, since I think I have bipolar. I have been researching it especially here where I live.

Some interesting information.

Prevalences across the whole population

Mental disorder is common in New Zealand: 46.6% of the population are predicted to meet criteria for a disorder at some time in their lives, with 39.5% having already done so and 20.7% having a disorder in the past 12 months.

Sociodemographic correlates
Younger people have a higher prevalence of disorder in the past 12 months and are more likely to report having ever had a disorder by any particular age.

Females have higher prevalences of anxiety disorder, major depression and eating disorders than males, whereas males have substantially higher prevalences for substance use disorders than females.

Prevalences are higher for people who are disadvantaged, whether measured by educational qualification, equivalised household income or using the small area index of deprivation (NZDep2001).

Ethnic comparisons
The prevalence of disorder in any period is higher for Māori and Pacific people than for the Other composite ethnic group. For disorder in the past 12 months, the prevalences are 29.5% for Māori, 24.4% for Pacific people and 19.3% for Others, which indicates that Māori and Pacific people have a greater burden due to mental health problems. Much of this burden appears to be because of the youthfulness of the Māori and Pacific populations and their relative socioeconomic disadvantage.

After adjusting for sociodemographic correlates no ethnic differences in the prevalence of anxiety disorders in the past 12 months are apparent, but even with adjustments the prevalence of bipolar disorder remains higher for Māori and Pacific people (Māori, 3.4%; Pacific people, 2.7%; Others 1.9%), and substance use disorder is higher for Māori (6.0%) (Pacific people, 3.2%; Others, 3.0%). Major depression shows a different pattern: after adjustment, Māori and Others have very similar prevalence (5.7%, 5.8%), whereas Pacific people have lower prevalence (3.5%).

Disability
Mental disorders are associated with impairment in several domains of functioning. Mood disorders are reported to be more disabling than either anxiety disorders or substance use disorders. The experience of multiple mental disorders is associated with greater role impairment than is associated with single disorders. Mental disorders and chronic physical conditions are, on average, associated with similar degrees of disability, and the combination of the two is more disabling than either alone.

Suicidal behaviour
Prevalence across the whole population
Of the population, 15.7% reported ever having thought seriously about suicide (suicidal ideation), 5.5% had ever made a suicide plan and 4.5% had ever made an attempt.
In the past 12 months, 3.2% experienced suicidal ideation, 1.0% made a suicide plan and 0.4% made a suicide attempt.

Sociodemographic correlates
The risk of suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was higher in females, younger people, people with lower educational qualifications and people with low household income, and among people living in more deprived areas (measured using the small area descriptor of socioeconomic adversity, the New Zealand Index of Deprivation) and in urban areas. The risk of making a suicide plan or suicide attempt was more common among younger people, people with low household income, and people living in more deprived areas. The risk of making a suicide attempt was higher in people in urban areas.

Mental disorders
Individuals with a mental disorder had elevated risks of suicidal behaviour, with 11.8% of people with any mental disorder in the last 12 months reporting suicidal ideation, 4.1% making a suicide plan and 1.6% making a suicide attempt in that period.

Mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance use disorders were all associated with suicidal ideation, suicide plan and suicide attempt. Of individual disorders, major depressive episode had the strongest association with suicidal ideation, suicide plan and suicide attempt.

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Ethnic comparisons
Māori and Pacific people had higher prevalences of suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts in the past 12 months than Others. After adjustment for sociodemographic correlates differences in suicidal ideation disappeared, but Māori and Pacific people still had higher prevalences of suicide plans (Māori 0.9%; Pacific people 1.0%; Others 0.3%); and suicide attempts (Māori 0.7%; Pacific people 0.8%; Others 0.3%).

Overall summary
Mental disorder is common in New Zealand, but is much more common in some groups in the population than in others.

Access to health care for mental health problems is low, but for people with a need for such care it is fairly equitable across population groups except for Pacific people and, to a lesser extent, Māori. Both these ethnic groups are less likely to have had access to services.

People with a mental disorder frequently have more than one disorder. There is also a relationship between mental disorder and chronic physical conditions.

Mental disorder can severely impact on people’s lives.

Suicidal behaviours are more common in some groups in the population than in others.

Strengths of the survey
The survey’s key strengths are as follows.

The researchers used a survey design and sample frame consistent with best practice, so the survey generates estimates of acceptable precision that can be generalised to the New Zealand adult population.
Māori and Pacific people were selected at higher rates to allow (for the first time) estimates of acceptable precision for those communities.
The diagnostic instrument used is known to have acceptable reliability and validity for community surveys.
The fieldwork conformed to best practice standards and incorporated quality controls to ensure adherence to best practice.
The data were extensively checked for quality.
The analysis took account of the complex sample design appropriately.

I always wondered about the curious statistic that the rate of ADHD is constant all throughout the world (5-7% it is believed), with the exception of Australia at 10-12%. Being that there's a much higher incidence of criminality in ADDers than in the general population, it means that the concentration of ADDers in the segment of 'criminals' is at a much more elevated percentage than in the general public. And being that Australia was heavily colonized by criminals in penal colonies, and that ADHD is a genetic disorder, I always wondered if all put together these facts explain the higher incidence of ADHD in Australia.

Also, I wonder if the incidence of ADHD in people on the east and north east of Australia is greater than in the South where (I think) no penal colonies existed.

Anyway, I have no idea how that relates to N.Z. because I don't know if its history resembles Australia's, but I thought I'd chip in this food for thought. (And I hope I didn't insult the australians on the board, I have no idea if that's a taboo subject)

Studies show thta more than 1 in 4 New Zealanders have some kind of mental disorder. Alot of New Zealanders have some maori blood in them and the coloniasts were the adventurous types. It was on the news that Maori have a warrior gene in them. With all mental illnesses Maori and Pacific Island people (full or half blooded) have much higher rates.
ADHD and other mental illneses are only just being recognized here. I think we would have a huge number. 16.5% of the population is maori, i think a large chunk of them would be. Not being racist because I am part maori myself. Also the pacific islanders 6-8% of the population.

Funny Australia didn't get criminals until Captain Cook "discovered" the continent. Before that, they were sent to guess where? America! Note: not all criminals were classifiable as "criminals" in the classic sense. Stealing a loaf of bread for a starving family is way different from murdering or raping. Many of the "criminals" were Irish, Welsh, and Scottish-subjugated by the Brits-historically, and no reference our current members in the UK!

I would think OZ would attract ADD people-the opportunities for adventure, taking risk, freedom of a large landmass with low density population....... The people there are lovely, very hospitable and the country invites you to adventure-even in Sydney you put on harness and carabiners and do a tower walk... It might just be the land itself, not who settled it.

And as for high %'s in indegenous peoples-my hypothesis, they do not education like we do in the west-desks, worksheets, lecture. It is experiential learning, the original work-study, and so on. Methods compatible with many learning styles. As european/westerners we have had centuries of indoctrination into passive learning. Funny thing----experiential learning is now the "wave" of the academic improvement-and building relationships and community in the school setting. These are values practiced in many "indigenous" societies-seems we have come full circle. Note: not all indigenous cultures are dreamy, warm, fuzzy, examples of human excellence. Just look at the history--violence and hatred have always existed alongside peace and tolerance in people groups in similar geographic areas. In America's southwest just think of the comanches and the hopi.

Just my 2 cents.

Most ADD people never get diagnosed and also a high percentage of the diagnosed don't really have it.

So the status of the health care and how its diagnosed can explain different rates between areas. I bet Iran officially has 0 ADD people just like they have 0 homosexuals, but we know thats not true. Just an example.

And considering the criminal thing... the US isn't exactly the healthiest nation on the planet either, its over average considering mental disorders.

My Mom's family's Australian and relating criminality to ADHD is not fair. Maybe true in some instances, but not always. Australia is so awesome. It is one of few places a teenager can exist and not be guilty until proven innocent, like in American public schools.

People are screwed up everywhere. If anything, Americans are more overdiagnosed than anyone else because our healthcare system is so completely in the pocket of pharmaceutical companies.

Yeah but probably have the best pro's and technology, but what ruins it is the cost and accessibility (pay most but don't even get in the top 10 nations).

The good thing about national health care is that everybody have access and usually have to pay nothing or low percentage. However I have to admit there is a big minus and its that people usually have to wait longer for life saving treatments/surgeries than someone with good insurance in the US. Also have to wait longer for dr.appointments and get less time each visit.