“In Spain the mental health situation is discouraging”

The first Sunday in October is celebrated European Depression Daya disease that affects more and more people. At a global level, it is estimated that more than 300 million people They suffer from depression. In Spain, according to a Fundamed report published in 2021, around 4,500 people per 100,000 inhabitants suffered from some type of depressive disorder, which is equivalent to almost 3 million people diagnosed.

Regarding the opinion of the Spanish population, and according to the data from the ‘State of Health’ report, prepared by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), approximately 6% reported experiencing episodes of depression during the last year, slightly exceeding the average of 5% registered in the European Union. This problem is particularly serious among women and people with lower incomes, as this document reveals. These groups face greater barriers to accessing adequate and timely care.

The report also highlights the influence of the economic situation on the prevalence of depression. In Spain, 9.5% of women with the lowest income They present symptoms of depression, while among women with higher incomes this figure drops to 4.8%. This shows how the lack of economic resources can aggravate vulnerability to the disease, affecting quality of life and chances of recovery.

18% of patients in Spain reported that they did not receive the medical care they needed

Likewise, despite the importance of treatment for mental health, 18% of patients in Spain reported that they did not receive the medical care they neededaccording to the same report. Of this percentage, a fifth indicated that it was care related to mental health, figures that reflect a situation similar to that of the rest of Europe. This lack of access to adequate care highlights the need to improve mental health systems in Spain.

Precisely in line with the latter, the psychologist Buenaventura del Charco He assures in an interview for ConSalud.es that “in Spain the mental health situation is discouraging.” “We are a country with very bad mental health rates,” he maintains. What’s more, if we look at the general data on mental illnesses in Spain, we can see how we have gone from 25% to 35% prevalence of these problems.

“In Spain we have a ratio of six psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants”

And in this situation, the shortage of psychologists does not help. “In Spain we have a ratio of “six psychologists for every 100,000 inhabitants”explains the psychologist, based on the data from the latest report from the Official College of Psychologists. It is a very big difference with the rest of Europe, “taking into account that the European average is 18 psychologists per one hundred thousand inhabitants.”

And there is not enough specialized care for people suffering from diseases such as depression and, therefore, it can take months until treatment begins. “A lot of time passes between making an appointment and until the psychiatrist sees you, who are also quite overwhelmed, and it can even take two or three more weeks until you start treatment,” he maintains. “Even having private insurance, treatments are ineffective over time.”

In the case of mental health care in the National Health System, Spain suffers long waiting lists. On many occasions, in the expert’s words, the most serious cases enter public consultations for mental health care, “although there must be suicidal intentions.” “But when it comes to depression or an anxiety disorder, it is often treated in Family Medicine,” he says.

“Psychotropic drugs combined with psychotherapy is really the most effective treatment for disorders such as depression”

“It is not the doctor’s fault that more and more anxiolytics are prescribed, because he does what he can,” explains the psychologist. What’s more, “psychotropic drugs combined with psychotherapy is really the most effective treatment for disorders such as depression”, but in Spain Access to psychotherapy is not easy. And precisely, “the obligation to have to pay for therapy influences one’s own mental health,” he adds.

For this reason, the psychologist insists that, “if we are talking about the importance of mental health and we are removing the stigma,” real access for citizens to psychotherapy consultations is also needed. “If it is not accompanied by the attention of a psychotherapist, giving visibility to mental health becomes a toast to the sun,” he concludes.