How countries are tackling mental health: global ideas and solutions

Loss of interest, depression, uncontrolled worries – during the corona pandemic, people in Germany increasingly suffered from depressive symptoms. What can a country do for the mental health of its population?

No matter what gender, education or age group: According to data from the Robert Koch Institute from the end of 2022, the mental health of people in Germany has deteriorated during the corona pandemic.

But even independently of global crises, people fall ill with mental illnesses. According to the German Depression Aid Foundation, five million people in Germany are currently suffering from depression. Many people still find it difficult to talk about their illness. In addition, there is often still a lack of nationwide care for the sick. Those affected often have to wait months for a place in therapy.

Successful fight against suicide

Finland once held a sad first place with the most suicides in Europe. The long, dark winters, the country’s sparse population and possibly the taciturn nature of many Finns made it difficult for those affected to ask for or get help for illnesses such as depression. Since then, the country has taken a whole range of measures. And so Finland’s third mental health strategy is now underway. With great success: it has slipped from first place into a good midfield.

The focus of the measures is, among other things, the intervention. Studies have shown that many people go back to the doctor a week before they commit suicide. But often the doctors did not recognize the symptoms and warning signs. Retraining was done here. In health centers, doctors can also refer patients directly to a psychologist or social worker. Where there is a lack of this staff in sparsely populated areas, digital offers should provide help.

Argentina’s love of psychology

Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires, is said to have the highest density of psychologists in the world. In a 2005 survey by the World Health Organization, there were 106 psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants. Other studies even assume there are 200 psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants.

What is certain is that a particularly large number of people in Argentina have a certain penchant for psychoanalysis. And so it is almost normal in the middle and upper class to go to the therapist. Psychologists are TV stars or fill entire halls with their lectures. This openness removes taboos from topics such as psychotherapy or mental illness.

The special features in Finland and Argentina are described in the “Import of Ideas” podcast The ARD Correspondent Sophie Donges and Anne Herrberg.

Search for ideas in the tagesschau podcast

For many questions that arise again and again in everyday life, there are guaranteed to be good ideas, possible role models and solutions somewhere in the world: How better to deal with sharply rising energy prices? What to do to eat healthier? Why do people in other countries sometimes live longer?

The foreign podcast daily News searches and finds them – together with the correspondents in the 30 foreign studios of the ARD. “Import of Ideas” aims to broaden our horizons and provide fresh ideas for new input in political and social debates.

Ideenimport appears every second Friday. You can listen to the podcast anytime at home or on the go on your smartphone – every second Friday morning you will find a new episode on our website, in which ARD-Audiothek and on numerous other podcast platforms.

Depression is treatable and often curable. If you need help, you can contact the telephone counseling service: 0800 1110111 or 0800 1110222. You can also find information at the Deutsche Depressionshilfe.