Increasing mental illnesses are causing economic costs of 17.2 billion euros - the federal government needs to take action.

Increasing mental illnesses are causing economic costs of 17.2 billion euros - the federal government needs to take action.

According to a report by www.n-tv.de,

In 2022, the costs of mental illnesses in Germany rose to 17.2 billion euros. This increase results from a peak of 132 million days of illness or incapacity for work due to mental illnesses and behavioral disorders. Specifically, for men, this number has increased by 7.8 percent, while for women it has increased by 2.7 percent. The average downtime due to mental and behavioral disorders is almost three times as high as the downtime across all diagnostic groups. The economic costs have exceeded the previous year's value by 8.9 percent, which has a drastic impact on the world of work and the economy.

This development also has an impact on the German labor market and the financial sector. Socio-economic factors such as production losses, early retirement and high levels of sickness or incapacity days have a significant impact on the German economy. The rising costs of mental illness will place further strain on health and social insurance and may lead to higher contributions and government spending in the long term. Companies must invest more in the mental health of their employees, as unrecognized or untreated psychological stress can lead to higher absenteeism, reduced performance and higher costs. It will therefore be crucial to take preventive measures to ensure long-term economic stability.

In summary, the rising costs of mental illness have serious consequences for the labor market and the financial sector and require urgent measures to promote the mental health of workers and reduce economic costs.