The Global Mental Health Crisis: A Growing Challenge for Society
By Guru D | First Published Oct 26, 2024, 3:48 PM ISTAccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression, a figure that has steadily increased over the last few decades.
Mental health has become a global priority. Disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affect millions of people today, with significant repercussions on both individual well-being and society as a whole. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly 280 million people worldwide suffer from depression, a figure that has steadily increased over the last few decades.
Economic impact of mental health disorders
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The economic impact of these disorders is alarming. The global cost of mental illness has been estimated at over $2.5 trillion per year, driven by lost productivity, absenteeism, and direct treatment costs. In Europe alone, depression accounts for nearly 1% of the annual GDP, according to recent studies. In the United States, PTSD, often diagnosed in veterans, leads to massive medical expenses and heightens the risk of suicide. OCD, though less prevalent, can be so disabling that it significantly disrupts patients' ability to work and maintain social relationships.
Beyond the economic cost, there are human consequences. Depression is the leading cause of suicide, with nearly 700,000 deaths globally each year. People suffering from PTSD or OCD are also vulnerable to severe social isolation, leading to prolonged psychological suffering.
Many therapies but not always enough
In response to this situation, numerous therapeutic approaches are available, but they are often insufficient. Drug treatments, particularly antidepressants and anxiolytics, remain the most commonly prescribed options. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), for instance, are widely used to treat depression and OCD. However, their effectiveness varies from patient to patient, and side effects—ranging from weight gain to sexual dysfunction—may discourage some from continuing their treatment.
Psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), remains a cornerstone of mental health care. It has proven effective in treating OCD and PTSD by helping patients restructure their thought patterns and adopt healthier behaviours. Yet, even here, there are challenges: long waiting lists for consultations, high costs in certain countries, and difficulties for some patients to adhere to therapeutic protocols make access challenging for many.
Self-help and relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga, have also gained popularity in recent years. While beneficial for some, these approaches often lack rigorous scientific validation. Their effectiveness is highly dependent on the individual, which limits their reach as a universal treatment.
New therapeutic hypotheses for the future
Faced with these limitations, new therapeutic avenues are emerging. Among them, breathwork techniques are gaining traction. Inspired by ancient practices, this method, which involves controlling one’s breathing to reduce stress and rebalance the mind, is beginning to attract scientific attention. Studies are exploring the effects of breathwork on the autonomic nervous system and its applications for treating anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Although evidence is not yet robust enough to make this a first-line solution, the growing interest in this approach highlights the search for alternative methods.
The use of psychedelics in question
Another research area experiencing renewed interest is the use of psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, in treating mental disorders. Long associated with recreational use, this substance, derived from hallucinogenic mushrooms, is the subject of numerous clinical trials. Studies conducted in centres such as the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research have shown that psilocybin can have lasting therapeutic effects in individuals suffering from treatment-resistant depression or OCD. It appears to act on the reorganisation of neural connections, facilitating new approaches to trauma, treating alcohol addiction or compulsive behaviours.
The trend of psilocybin retreats
However, psilocybin, like other psychedelic substances, remains the subject of ethical and legal debate. While promising, clinical trials are still limited, and the substance is banned in most countries. Nonetheless, legislative progress in the United States, particularly in Oregon, and in the Netherlands, where therapeutic use of psychedelics is beginning to be legalised, points to a paradigm shift in the coming years. The Netherlands, in particular, has been a pioneer in offering psilocybin retreats, where participants are invited to explore their consciousness through the psychoactive effects of magic truffles. In this form of psychedelic tourism, trip supervision is entrusted to facilitators who help participants, seeking to understand past trauma or regain control over a challenging daily life, to harness the substance's effects while avoiding bad trips.
Thus, mental health, long relegated to the background of public health priorities, is now central to discussions. Traditional approaches often fall short of addressing the complexity of mental disorders, but new therapeutic pathways, while promising, still require extensive research before becoming viable options for a wider range of patients.
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