Depression Costs the Economy Billions. Experts: Mental Health Has Become an Economic Indicator

Is mental health today an economic indicator rather than merely a medical one? Definitely yes. Hard data show the scale of the losses and costs we bear globally as a society - Piotr Szwędrowski, President of the Young Generation Development Foundation, told Newseria.

The scale of the problem of indirect costs resulting from depressive disorders is illustrated by the WHO’s 2024 report. According to the report, anxiety and depression result in the loss of 12 billion working days worldwide every year. The cost of lost productivity is estimated at approximately USD 1 trillion.

These figures, as experts emphasize, show that mental health should be treated as one of the key components of social and economic policy.

In Poland, according to data from the National Health Fund, 1.285 million people suffer from depression. However, this figure includes only those individuals captured by the system; the actual scale of the problem may be higher.

At the same time, the number of sick leaves related to depression is increasing. Between 2013 and 2024, the number of absence days rose from 5.4 million to 8.5 million. Depressive disorders are also increasingly leading to permanent loss of work capacity and disability pensions. Data from the Social Insurance Institution show that between 2020 and 2024, expenditures on social pensions related to mental and behavioral disorders increased from PLN 2 billion to PLN 2.7 billion.

"These sick leaves are not like those associated with classic illnesses, where a person returns after a week or two; psychological treatment and rehabilitation take much longer and require exceptional care, as they are far more extended over time," the expert says.

The burden associated with depression does not end with the illness itself. People affected by it often also struggle with fear of judgment and the reactions of others, including in the workplace.

As indicated by the report on the stigmatization of patients with central nervous system disorders, prepared in 2024 for the "Straighten Your Gaze" campaign, more than half of respondents believed that people suffering from depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy face social isolation. The authors of the report note that knowledge about depression is high and the level of stigmatization is decreasing; nevertheless, 22% of respondents still described people suffering from the illness as lazy (including 19% of women and 26% of men). A similar proportion agreed with the view that people with depression "look for problems."

"If an employee disappears from the company and then returns, they may be received in different ways. For example, coworkers may react with anger—‘you left us behind.’ There may also be negative emotions on the employer’s side: ‘we have so much work here, and you’ve just made up this depression.’ The fact is that mental health continues to be trivialized and stigmatized in society," Piotr Szwędrowski emphasizes.

According to the President of the Young Generation Development Foundation, one of the most urgent tasks is to give mental health problems appropriate prominence in public debate.

"As a foundation, through various initiatives, we try to stimulate public debate on this issue in order to educate us adults that illnesses related to mental health, including depression, are not a source of shame. If someone has cancer or another illness, we tend to be more understanding toward that person. Unfortunately, when it comes to mental health, we sometimes forget this. I am glad that we are speaking about it more and more openly, and that well-known public figures and celebrities are increasingly willing to speak openly about problems related to their mental health," says the President of the Young Generation Development Foundation.

The WHO predicts that by the end of this decade, depression will be the most prevalent health problem in the world. This means growing pressure on healthcare systems and the need to adapt care more effectively to patients’ needs.

Poland has been undergoing psychiatric reform for several years. In child and adolescent psychiatry, a key stage was the creation from scratch of the first reference level, namely a network of community support centers. In adult psychiatry, the most important element of the reform is the shift away from hospitalization toward outpatient, day-care, or home-based assistance available close to patients’ places of residence.

"For several years now, we have been observing a very interesting model of mental health centers, which is already being tested in more than 100 cities across Poland. Unfortunately, as is often the case when something new is introduced into the system, the project faces financial difficulties. However, over the past few years this pilot has proven highly successful, and if it continues to develop, its prospects are very promising," the expert assesses.

The pilot program for Mental Health Centers (CZP) has been operating since 2018 and is the longest such trial in the history of the Polish healthcare system. In autumn last year, a decision was made to extend the pilot until the end of 2026, after which it is to become a systemic solution. According to data from 5 January 2026, 117 such centers are operating across the country, covering slightly more than half of the adult population. At the end of February, the Ministry of Health published the final report of the expert team on the future of the CZP, containing, among other things, recommendations concerning the financing model after the conclusion of the pilot.

According to the Ministry of Health, Mental Health Centers are places where "immediate, free assistance related to mental health problems can be obtained around the clock, without the need for a referral or prior appointment. Depending on the patient’s needs, the scope of assistance at a CZP includes visits to a mental health clinic, stays in a day-care or 24-hour ward, as well as support from a community treatment team that visits patients in their homes in order to support both patients and their families. CZPs are dedicated to persons over 18 years of age."

Experts emphasize that the permanent incorporation of CZPs into the healthcare system is particularly important, because access to psychological and psychiatric assistance outside this model is still often limited by long waiting times.

"We have an enormous shortage of psychiatrists. There are more and more psychologists. They represent different psychological approaches, and each of us has our own ‘psychological makeup.’ If we do not find the right psychologist and do not receive appropriate help, we may never try again. Fortunately, there are also more and more psychotherapists, but the queues are not getting shorter. As for the system financed by the National Health Fund, apart from mental health centers, waiting times can unfortunately be exceptionally long, depending on the region," Piotr Szwędrowski emphasizes. "Private treatment is a huge expense. Regular specialist visits can place a very heavy burden on a household budget, because this is often a long-term process."

The growing number of cases, the high social and economic costs, and the limited availability of assistance make mental health one of the most important public challenges of the coming years—not only for the healthcare system, but for the economy as a whole.