mer, Déc 21st 2022
Rates of hospitalizations and suicides among Swiss teens is increasing at an unprecedented rate, data shows.
Mental health disorders were the top cause of hospitalizations for 10-24-year-olds in Switzerland, surpassing injuries for the first time, according to a recent rapport from The Federal Statistics Office (FSO).
The report shows that girls and young women were among the most affected. In 2020 depression levels among young women increased by 14% before surging to 42% in 2021. Compared to the previous year, 2021 saw a startlingly 26% increase in hospitalizations for mental disorders among young women between the ages of 10 and 24.
In addition, hospital admissions for attempted suicide increased by 26% in the same age group and in-hospital outpatient psychiatric services by 19%.
“This increase is really unprecedented,” Tania Andreani of FSO’s health section told AFP. She added “It is extraordinary.”
While Switzerland closed schools for fewer months than some of their neighbors, mask mandates persisted in schools for months beyond.
While the report did not provide a specific reason for the increase in hospitalizations, it’s likely linked to stress, which rose by 22% in young women and by 13% in young men. Andreani also acknowledged that “the pandemic surely played a role.”
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization found that the pandemic had taken a dire toll on mental health. Anxiety and depression cases overall are estimated to have swelled by over 25% percent globally in 2020 alone. Girls and young women were most affected globally, as well.
“The information we have now about the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job supporting their populations’ mental health.”
Depression rates among Swiss university students have increased in tandem, other studies show.
Analysis of FSO’s report shows that the increase in psychological problems has persisted post-pandemic. Switzerland is home to more than 250,000 university students, whose mental health was among those hit the hardest by the pandemic.
Professor Julia Dratva from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences directed a study exploring students’ mental health during the pandemic. She stated that depression rates are up to three times higher in the student population than in the rest of Switzerland. The study investigated depression multiple times during the pandemic, but the high rate among students remained the same.
Profession Dratva notes, “For students, who experienced a strong impact on their mental health, that is not something you overcome quickly.”
A study from the University of Bern supports these findings. Their research found that up to 30% of adolescents and young adults reported that they were worse off than before the pandemic. Anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, and physical pain were the most reported complaints.
Psychological counseling is available and affordable in Switzerland.
Luckily, mental health care is a priority in the Swiss medical system. According to the Swiss Federation of Psychologists, demand for therapy in Switzerland has sharply increased since the summer of 2020. Research shows that 74% of Swiss people say that psychological and physical health are equally important.
The good news is that the Swiss healthcare system is among the highest performers on many quality measures, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development rankings.
And compared to other wealthy countries like the U.S., health care in Switzerland is also relatively affordable. Dr. Schneeberger from Psychiatric Services Grisons in St. Moritz, says that the average co-payment for sixty minutes of psychotherapy provided by a psychiatrist in Zurich costs approximately CHF 20. And universal health care insurance is mandatory in Switzerland – even for foreign citizens living in the country, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
A walk outside may be as effective as Zoloft, a study found.
Although you may not have the same access to mental health care, there are other options if therapy or counseling is out of reach. Research shows that just five minutes outside can make you happier. Some reports even state that exercise can be as effective at lifting your mood as taking Zoloft.
The FSO’s report shows that you are not alone in dealing with mental health challenges. There is no shame in reaching out for help, especially during seasons like the holidays when mental health disorders can be amplified.
This website provides a list of global emergency contact numbers, and this post lists free online mental health resources. In Switzerland, you can dial 143 to reach the suicide and crisis line.
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