Almost every second person suffers from mental disorder

NRW Health Minister: One in two adults becomes mentally ill

08/29/2013

Almost every second German citizen is mentally ill at least once in a lifetime, reports Health Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Barbara Steffens (Greens), in a recent press release. According to the minister a „alarming development“, which can not be stopped by measures alone in the health system.

According to Health Minister Nordrhein-Westfalen, the increase in mental illness is evident at a variety of levels. So be for example „In North Rhine-Westphalia, the number of employees who have to retire prematurely due to mental illness has risen by 70 percent within ten years.“ In Germany, too, the prescription of psychotropic drugs in children and adolescents has increased significantly. For older people, consumption is also alarmingly high. Here is „a broad social debate“ required, „how we can generally get back to a healthier life“, stressed Steffens.

Acceleration and stress determine life
According to the Minister, the decisive factor for the increase in mental illness is the massive stress that many Germans are exposed to. „Even children have to meet the requirements of the meritocracy. Instead of having time to experience themselves, some five-year-olds with an early childhood education program are more planned than adults“, criticized Barbara Steffens. Even illnesses would no longer be understood by many as a signal from the body that this rest needs self-regulation, but it should be treated as quickly as possible, so that the body is functional again in a very short time. Also „Often children can not really cure themselves because their parents have to continue to 'work' in their professional lives, which is usually not so easy with a sick child“, reports Steffens. The Minister emphasized that acceleration and stress often determine life today and mental well-being is often neglected. „But mental health is an essential prerequisite for quality of life and performance“, explained Steffens.

Increase in mental illness difficult to stop
Although the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has decided to invest heavily in care structures and offers of assistance in view of the significant increase in mental illness, it is clear from the Minister of Health that we „just by changing the health care system can not stop the increase in mental illness.“ Rather, it must succeed above all to decelerate our life and to reduce the stress to a healthy measure. Alone can do this „almost no one“, explained Steffens, adding: „For this we need a broad debate on how we want to live in the future.“ (Fp)

Image: Dieter Schütz