Fight for help: why young people in Germany have to wait for therapy

Fight for help: why young people in Germany have to wait for therapy

Norddeutschland, Deutschland - The mental health of children and adolescents in Germany is under strong pressure. The numbers are alarming: every fifth adolescent under the age of 18 experiences a serious psychological crisis within one year. However, many affected people have to wait a long time for access to therapeutic help - on average about six months, such as Ärzteblatt Next.

The challenges in care

The overloaded health, school and youth welfare systems are a major obstacle to quick and effective treatment. The 15-year-old Mia from Schleswig-Holstein reports that she suffers from anxiety disorders and panic attacks and had to search for a suitable therapy place for three years. Currently, Mia only receives sporadic therapy sessions, which is not enough to cover their increasing needs Tagesschau describes this impressively.

experts point out that the waiting times for therapy places have doubled in recent years. The need for resident child and adolescent psychiatrists is not sufficiently covered, which leads to an increase in inquiries to clinics. Urgently needed resident specialists are missing in many regions, such as in the district of Dithmarschen. The scientist Kristin Rodney-Wolf demands that the need for needs in the Social Code calls for the more.

prevention and support

in parallel to these pressing topics, it is important to take preventive measures. Experts recommend integrating the area of mental health more into schools, for example through school psychologists and the introduction of the topic "mental health" into the curricula. The consideration of factors such as exercise, nutrition and health competence is also a step in the right direction to better support young people.

The fear of climate, which affects 59% of 16 to 25 year olds, makes it clear that new topics also have to incorporate into this discussion. The question remains exciting whether and how young people can be more involved in the design of their own health care in order not only to promote their own stability, but also to make an active contribution to coping with social challenges.

With the right change in the help systems and more public awareness, the situation for the mental health of the young generation in Germany could improve.