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Talk therapy can help overcome mental illness.
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the corona pandemic has led to a significant increase in some mental illnesses.
In the first year of the pandemic alone, cases of depression and anxiety disorders rose by a quarter, according to a WHO mental health report released on Friday.
WHO expert Mark Van Ommeren called on all countries to do more for the mental health of their populations.
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Even before the pandemic began, nearly a billion people were suffering from a mental disorder, according to the WHO's most comprehensive mental health study in two decades.
With the pandemic and the strict measures against the spread of the virus, the number of people suffering from depression and anxiety increased again significantly.
According to the WHO, young people, women and people who already had mental problems were particularly affected.
This is also due to the fact that despite the great effort in the fight against the virus, no more money has flowed into the fight against mental health problems, the report said.
To date, only 2 percent of national health budgets and less than 1 percent of global health care aid is invested in mental health.
One in eight people lives with a mental disorder
'All those numbers are very, very low,' said Van Ommeren.
But the report shows how "enormous the suffering" is worldwide.
"Investing in mental health is investing in a better life and future for all," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
According to the study, about one in eight people in the world lives with a mental disorder.
It is even worse in conflict zones, where it is estimated that every fifth person suffers from mental health problems.
In addition to more money, the WHO also called for an end to the stigma attached to mental illness.
Attempted suicides are still criminalized in more than 20 countries.
However, one in every hundred deaths worldwide is due to suicide.
olb/AFP