Depression, anxiety and panic attack makes studying mentally ill?

Almost half a million students are mentally ill

A statistic published last year showed that among the top twelve diagnoses for sick leave six mental illnesses were found. But not only more and more employees, but also increasingly students are mentally ill.

More and more young adults suffer from mental illness

Exams, fear of the future and constant pressure to perform: More and more young adults in Germany suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders or panic attacks. As the Barmer Physician Report 2018 shows, the proportion of mental health diagnosed 18 to 25 year olds alone increased by 38 percent between 2005 and 2016 and by 76 percent among depression.

More and more people in Germany are suffering from mental illness. The number of those suffering from depression, anxiety disorders and panic attacks has also increased among students. (Image: Patrick Daxenbichler / fotolia.com)

Increasing time and performance pressure

According to a statement from the health insurance fund, even among the students, who were previously regarded as a largely "healthy" group, more than one in six (17 percent) are now affected by a mental diagnosis. That corresponds to around 470,000 people.

"There are many indications that in the future there will be significantly more mentally ill young people," said Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Straub, CEO of Barmer.

"Especially with the prospective academics time and pressure on performance increase continuously, in addition to financial worries and fears of the future. Above all, more low-threshold offers can help to prevent mental illness from the outset. "

Older students are particularly at risk

According to reports, the risk of depression increases markedly with students as they get older.

1.4 percent of students fell ill at the age of 18, for the first time, with 3.2 percent of non-students. A good ten years later, however, the proportion of students was 3.9 percent and non-students 2.7 percent.

Thus, older students are particularly at risk. As the health insurance company writes, mental illnesses could also have an influence on adolescents even when they are young, so that they can start studying later.

"For adolescents with a mental disorder at the age of 17, the probability of starting a study in the following years is reduced by about one third," said the author of the medical report and managing director of the aQua Institute in Göttingen, Prof. Dr. med. Joachim Szecsenyi.

Not every bad phase requires psychotherapy

From the point of view of the Barmer, more low-threshold services are needed that avoid mental illness and reach young adults at an early age who have already experienced depression or anxiety.

"Shame patients often avoid going to the doctor out of shame. We therefore see great potential in online offers, especially if they are anonymous and meet the usage habits of the Smartphone generation, "explained Straub.

According to their own information, the health insurance company focuses on the avoidance of mental illness. For example, an online training is offered, with which depression can be successfully prevented.

This would also reduce the disproportionate use of limited psychotherapeutic places with only "light" problems, in order to make room for those in need of urgent support.

"Not every bad phase requires a psychotherapist," says Straub. The background to this is that, according to the doctor's report, 28 percent of young adults in a mild depressive episode use psychotherapy with a resident therapist.

In the severely depressed sufferers, the rate was only slightly higher.

"Family doctors play an important role as a pilot, because mentally ill young people need professional help quickly. In addition, it requires an even greater willingness of psychotherapists to take care of these patients, "said study author Szecsenyi. (Ad)