Over 40% of Dutch have anxiety or depression; 1 in 20 receive mental health treatment

Over four in ten residents of the Netherlands experience anxiety or depression, and a quarter of all adults have a mental health condition. One in twenty adults receives treatment for this in specialized mental healthcare, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Trimbos Institute.

The group of people experiencing anxiety or depression has grown over the past ten years. In 2014, it was 36 percent, and last year almost 44 percent. The increase is particularly noticeable among young people and women.

The institutions urged the next government to invest significantly in addressing mental health problems. “Focus on prevention and identify problems early,” they said. This can prevent problems from worsening later.

For example, governments can monitor people’s debt levels. Financial insecurity can be linked to anxiety and depression. And if people do develop mental health problems, “accessible and appropriate care or support must be available, including outside of mental healthcare.”

Mental health problems cost society billions, according to the researchers. Patients need care, are temporarily unable to work, and sometimes become disabled. It’s difficult to find treatment, and in the meantime, symptoms can worsen. The Netherlands spends approximately €500 per resident per year on mental healthcare, according to Trimbos and RIVM

Trimbos and RIVM have repeatedly advocated for increased investment in mental health.