Authored by Dr. Felix Lambrecht, Global Head of Therapeutic Unit Mental Health, MEDICE – The Health Family
Mental health is no longer a taboo subject – it is now at the center of social debate. More and more people are realizing how crucial mental stability is for a fulfilled and self-determined life.
At the same time, mental stress is increasing significantly in our modern world: Stress, excessive demands, loneliness, and emotional exhaustion are part of everyday life for many people. The consequences are not only noticeable for individuals, but also for society as a whole: higher medical costs, longer absences from work, and a growing burden on the healthcare system.
Mental health condition is dramatic
The AXA Mental Health Report 2024 on global mental health paints a clear picture: around 32% of the population suffers from mental disorders. The increase in people with suspected depression is particularly striking – the proportion of those affected is now 47%, up from 44% in 2023. Anxiety also reached a new high of 23% (in comparison: 20% in 2023 and 17% in 2022). Overall, the report shows that a quarter of the world’s population is potentially affected by severe symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or severe stress, a further increase from the 23% of the previous year.[1]
Despite the alarmingly high numbers, only a fraction of those affected receive the necessary psychotherapeutic treatment. One of the main reasons for this is the shortage of qualified specialists—the number of therapy places available is simply insufficient.[2] For patients, this means waiting times of sometimes six months, a phase in which the symptoms not only worsen but also increase the risk of the disease becoming chronic.[3]
Social consequences: More than an individual problem
However, the lack of supplies does not only affect individual well-being. It is a burden on the entire healthcare system and the economy – a problem for society as a whole: longer courses of illness lead to higher treatment costs. Mental illness is one of the most common causes of absence from work and early retirement.[4] And the figures are rising: around 27% of employees surveyed stated that they had been on sick leave at least once in the last 12 months due to mental health problems – an increase of 4 percentage points compared to the previous year’s report of the AXA Mental Health Report.[5] Those affected and their relatives suffer from the restrictions in everyday life and in social relationships.
It is clear that mental health is not a “private problem” but a relevant issue that urgently needs innovative solutions.
Closing gaps in mental health care provision
In recent years, a new approach has emerged that offers promising potential: Digital health applications. These are prescribable applications or online programs that have been scientifically tested and are reimbursable by health insurance companies.
These applications can make an important contribution to improving care in the area of mental health: While waiting times for a therapy place have to be bridged, those affected can start immediately and at a low threshold with a digital application that they can flexibly integrate into their everyday lives. Much evidence-based content of traditional psychotherapy or behavioral therapy can be digitized. Corresponding software offers interactive exercises based on cognitive behavioral therapy, for example. As part of guided self-help programs, they help to better recognize and change thought patterns. At the same time, the applications can be used to record symptoms and provide information about the illness in order to improve the psychoeducation and subsequently one’s own handling of the illness. Depending on authorization by the health insurance company, such therapy can begin after just a few days and not after months.
Digital interventions improve treatment adherence, increase well-being, and reduce the risk of complications. They save time, facilitate communication between doctor and patient, and help to make care more efficient and more humane.
It is clear: Digital health applications cannot completely close the mental health care gaps – but they can bridge them. They offer fast, flexible, and scientifically sound help that sufferers can use immediately. In this way, they make a decisive contribution to ensuring that people in crisis situations receive the support they need.
Holistic approach to mental health
The MEDICE Health Family is using its digital health applications in the field of mental health to shape a forward-looking approach to care. The strategy: closing gaps in care, facilitating access to therapy, and enabling individualized treatment paths. Together with renowned universities and GAIA, the company is developing digital forms of therapy that can be seamlessly integrated into medical treatment and are available immediately if required. At the same time, the digital applications of the MEDICE Health Family enable supportive treatment, including between therapy sessions, as well as aftercare for patients. With our commitment in the field of Mental Health, we are taking this claim into the future for modern, humane, and measurably better care for mental illnesses.
[1] AXA Mind Health Report: Die psychische Gesundheit verschlechtert sich weltweit weiter. (2025, März). Ipsos. https://www.ipsos.com/de-de/axa-mind-health-report-die-psychische-gesundheit-verschlechtert-sich-weltweit-weiter
[2] Psychotherapeuten beklagen „massives Versorgungsproblem“. (2024, Juni). ÄrzteZeitung. https://www.aerztezeitung.de/Medizin/Psychotherapeuten-beklagen-massives-Versorgungsproblem-450386.html
[3] Abednia, A. (2024, 4. Oktober). Fehlende Therapieplätze: Lange Wartezeiten belasten Betroffene. ndr.de. https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Fehlende-Psycho-Therapieplaetze-Lange-Wartezeiten-belasten-Betroffene,psychotherapeuten104.html
[4] VPV Versicherungen. (2024, Juli). https://www.vpv.de/service/ratgeber-news/news/was-haeufig-zu-einer-erwerbsminderungsrente-fuehrt.html
[5] AXA Mind Health Report: Die psychische Gesundheit verschlechtert sich weltweit weiter. (2025, März). Ipsos. https://www.ipsos.com/de-de/axa-mind-health-report-die-psychische-gesundheit-verschlechtert-sich-weltweit-weiter
