Emotional Wellbeing of European Citizens – What has to be done?

It is estimated that, each year, 38.2% of citizens in the European Union (150>200 million people) suffer from a mental health disorder. This figure is increasing rapidly (in 2005, it was 82 million).

This carries a huge – both annual and long-term – economic and social cost, involving absenteeism, poor performance, stress and distress, loss of earnings, increased use of health resources, increased disability, premature retirement as well as any ensuing emotional distress and deprivation of the patients’ family and friends.

The recent economic crisis / recession has also impacted significantly on mental health.

These mental disorders include anxiety disorders (14.0%), insomnia (7.0%), major depression (6.9%), somatoform disorders (6.3%), alcohol and drug dependence (>4%), AHHD (5%) in the young, and dementia (up to 30%, depending on age).

There seems to be no substantial cultural or country variations (except for substance abuse and mental retardation). Although there are increases in sick leave, early retirement and treatment rates, there are no consistent indications of any improvements with regard to low treatment rates, delayed treatment provision and grossly inadequate treatment.

These 200 million of our citizens deserve accessibility to quality assured Psychotherapeutic Care. They have a right to be informed about Psychotherapy treatment of choice.

These 200 million of our citizens deserve accessibility to quality-assured, readily available, psychotherapeutic care. They have a right to be informed about psychotherapy as an effective treatment of choice, sometimes in conjunction with psychopharmacology.

We, in the EAP, call for a proper legal regulation of the profession of psychotherapy and the wider provision of psychotherapeutic services within the European Union.

For the EAP

Eugenijus Laurinaitis / Past EAP President
Alfred Pritz / Past General Secretary EAP
Annette Kreuz / Past External Relations Officer EAP