One in four will suffer from a mental disorder

ANXIETY  is one of the most common mental disorders and one in four Spaniards will suffer a mental disorder at some point.

Despite this high number, Spain invests in mental health €5.5 per €100 of total health expenditure, to mental illness, lower than the EU average of €7. This results in a lack of resources and affects people with mental disorder.

Head of Psychiatry at the Gregorio Marañon Hospital in Madrid, Ceslo Arango, said much of the population will suffer from a minor mental disorder such as anxiety, but there are many cases which are much more serious such as schizophrenia, bipolar or autism spectrum disorder, among others, and have a greater impact on those affected.

Arango, mourns the investment in mental health saying there should be more. He said there are many areas that are not being covered by low investment, such as the lack of preventive measures, shortage of resources for early intervention appropriate to the patient’s age, development assistance to children and adolescents or the lack of intermediate resources, such as hospitals and day centres for these people. He also wants to see more support in the work place: “With support and supervision those with mental disorders could have access to a protected employment. The percentage of people with severe mental disorders working in Spain is much lower than in other countries and that makes them have a very low self-esteem.”

The President of the National Confederation of Mental Health, Nel A. Gonzalez, believes the lack of resources “is very noticeable” and notes because of the “meagre investment” waiting lists for patients are “extraordinarily long.”