Depression to anxiety disorders: Therapy places are in short supply - where those affected can find help now
Created: 01/13/2022, 4:05 pm
As a rule, the earlier mental illnesses are treated, the better the chances of recovery.
© Panthermedia
Depression and mental illness increase in the pandemic.
Due to a lack of treatment places, only very few people get the help they need.
The world is upside down! The coronavirus has dominated the media since the beginning of 2020.
It affects all areas of personal life.
Changes are not only evident politically and economically, society is also changing. One lockdown follows the next, forcing people to isolate themselves socially * or to distance themselves from their fellow human beings. The psychological stress in the population is extremely increased by issues such as existential fears, financial difficulties or the increasing potential for violence.
Mental illnesses in society are the result.
The recurring corona measures make it difficult to care for mentally ill people.
The result: postponements and cancellations.
As the German Depression Aid informs, 22 percent of respondents in a depressive phase report missed specialist appointments in the last six months (September 2020 - February 2021), and 18 percent missed an appointment with a psychotherapist. 21 percent of those affected stated that they had canceled their treatment appointment for fear of infection (plus eight percentage points compared to the first lockdown).
People who are already ill as well as new patients struggle for therapy places with a psychotherapist.
Why is it so difficult to get a therapy place in Germany?
Why are long waiting times not an exception?
Demand for psychological care is increasing
According to the German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology eV,
around 27.8 percent of the adult population in Germany is affected by a mental illness every year.
That corresponds to around 17.8 million affected people.
The most common illnesses include anxiety disorders (15.4 percent), followed by mood disorders (9.8 percent, unipolar depression alone 8.2 percent) and disorders caused by alcohol or drug consumption * (5.7 percent).
Mental health survey
According to a survey by the German Association of Psychotherapists in January 2021, resident psychotherapists received significantly more inquiries than in January 2020.
While patients made an average of 4.9 inquiries per week in the past year, the figure was 6.9 in 2021.
The proportion of psychotherapists who received more than ten inquiries per week alone doubled.
Only ten percent of the inquirers were able to get a treatment place within a month.
Almost 40 percent had to wait longer than six months.
The offer for those affected should therefore definitely be expanded
.
Private practices are called upon to admit and treat people with statutory health insurance early.
You don't get a therapy place?
What now?
In the following we would like to show you a few alternatives that can help
bridge a long waiting period
.
None of the alternatives are a substitute for professional psychotherapeutic care, but merely represent a bridging option.
Appointment service points
: The Federal Government is required to provide alternatives in order to enable psychotherapeutic care for everyone.
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians offers appointment service points and is legally obliged to offer a treatment appointment within four weeks.
Advice centers
: Alternatively, there is the option of going to psychological advice centers.
As a rule, those affected get an appointment on site relatively spontaneously.
It is mainly used to bridge the gap until a suitable therapy place can be found.
Self-help groups
: In self-help groups, people with similar problems meet.
Mutual exchange and contact with those affected can be very helpful.
A Germany-wide overview of the existing self-help groups can be found here: https://www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de/depression-infos-und-hilfe/wo-finde-ich-hilfe/selbsthilfegruppen
Online psychotherapy
: In times of digitization, therapists offer online services for those affected.
This can also represent a bridge to the actual therapy station.
You can find out more about online self-help programs here *.
Telephone counseling services
: Especially for very acute issues, those affected can contact telephone counseling services.
There you will be looked after by trained staff over the phone.
You can find the most popular telephone advice services here: https://www.deutsche-depressionshilfe.de/depression-infos-und-hilfe/wo-finde-ich-hilfe/info-telefon
Improve living conditions through structure
Structure definitely won't vanish your problems.
However, it can help to cope better with your everyday life in small steps.
Write down a weekly schedule with things to do / tasks and activities that you enjoy.
Taking a long walk or engaging in a hobby can definitely improve your state of mind for short periods of time.
Author: Michelle Weiß, * Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
