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How are mental illnesses treated in your country? 

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From innovative treatments to unequal access to medicine, I cover health topics and keep an eye on Switzerland's Health Valley. I'm Swiss-Turkish, and have a background in communications, journalism and photography. Before joining SWI swissinfo.ch, I covered technology and health at Euronews, and my work has been featured in international outlets including Fayn Press, Mediapart, Le Temps and Times of Malta.

While most mental health patients are treated with antidepressants, alternative approaches are gaining traction for the one-third who don’t respond to these medications. In Switzerland, more are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. 

Are there similar approaches where you live? 

Or are there other alternative treatment methods in your region to treat depression and other mental health diseases? 

Do you have any personal experiences with this issue that you would like to share but not in a public forum? Write to me at aylin.elci@swissinfo.ch  

Share your knowledge with us below! 

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Contributions must adhere to our guidelines. If you have questions or wish to suggest other ideas for debates, please, get in touch!
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Switzerland’s Hidden Illness: The Mental Health Crisis No One Wants to Talk About____For decades, Switzerland has been handed glowing report cards: a wealthy nation with a world-class healthcare system, breathtaking mountains, precision engineering, and a global reputation for perfection. But behind this façade lies a much darker truth. Switzerland is ill — very ill.____The Taboo No One Touches____Mental health remains Switzerland’s deepest taboo. In a culture where perfection is prized, vulnerability is seen as weakness. Conversations rarely move past “bonjour” or “grüezi,” and identities are often defined only by job titles. This culture of masking hides the pain beneath the surface, creating walls instead of connections.____Yet the statistics are impossible to ignore. Mental health disorders are now the leading cause of hospitalization for youth in Switzerland. Youth suicide is the leading cause of death. These are not just numbers — they are a national emergency.____A Generation at Risk____Social media and smartphones have brought connection but also destruction. Algorithms are designed to capture attention at all costs, and in many ways, they have stolen a generation. Other countries, like Australia, have already taken drastic measures to limit platforms such as TikTok and YouTube in schools to curb the addictive grip. Switzerland has yet to face this reality.____The Silent Burnout Epidemic____The crisis doesn’t stop with young people. Working life in Switzerland has become a dangerous place. Every 90 seconds, someone in this country reaches the point of burnout. Mental health–related absences now cost the Swiss economy CHF 17.3 billion every year.____With the boundary between work and home life dissolving — smartphones ensuring constant availability — stress has become relentless. Many employers expect employees to be connected via phone or message at all hours. The human cost of this culture is enormous.____The New Wave: AI and the Erosion of Human Worth____Now, another threat is on the horizon. Tech companies are rushing to the bottom line, flooding the market with artificial intelligence tools while ignoring the human consequences. If we are not careful, AI could accelerate a crisis of self-worth, replacing human value with machine efficiency. Once one is to lose their job the mask could fall and vulnerability exposed.____What Comes Next?____There are no angels or governments with easy answers. But denial will not save us. Switzerland must find the courage to face its most uncomfortable truths:____To talk openly about mental health.____To protect its youth from destructive digital addictions and tell them the Swiss perfection is just an illusion and not real. ____To create workplaces that value people over productivity.____Where vulnerability and not perfection is seen as superpower.____The road ahead will be rocky — but silence is no longer an option.

ندم رغم النقاء
ندم رغم النقاء
The following contribution has been automatically translated from AR.

In my country, I have been suffering from many mental illnesses since 2020, so in 2024 I decided to seek treatment, but it got worse when I met doctors who should be called animals instead of doctors.

في بلدي اعاني من امراض نفسيه كثيره منذ عام 2020 فقررت عام 2024 ان اتعالج لاكن الأمر ازاد سوء عندما التقيت بلأطباء يجب ان يطلق عليهم كلمه حيوانات بدل اطباء

Angel Escolar-Noriega
Angel Escolar-Noriega
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

In Spain, you almost automatically look for a public or private psychologist. With the former, it takes a long time until the first consultation. And then it's once every 4 to 5 weeks. Private ones are expensive for say msl ⅔ of the population. In both cases... the education is... superficial. About ⅔ of people under difficulty prefer to see a psychiatrist.__Public, you have to (have to) visit the psycholigist several times first. Privately, about ⅓ of psychiatrists work with medication, ⅓ do not engage in dialogue and many ⅓ are real psychotherapists. are rarely considered.__The population... has a superficial idea about mental suffering. So it is, in my opinion

In Spanien sucht man fast automatisch einen öffentlichen oder privaten Psychologen. Bei den Ersteren dauert es lange bis zur ersten Sprechstunde. Und dsnn gehts 1 mal jede 4 bis 5 Wochen. Privaten sind teuer für sag msl ⅔ der Bevölkerung. In beiden Fällen... die Bildung ist... oberflächlich. Etwa ¼ der Menschen unter Schwierigkeiten wollen lieber zu einem Psychiater.__Öffentlich muss (muss) man zuerst mehrmals den Psycholigen besuchen. Privat, etwa ⅓ der Psychiater arbeite mit Arzneimittekn, ⅓ treten aun in Gespräch und viellei ht ⅓ sin echte Psychotherapeuten.__Elektrizität, starke Methoden zur Einscht... kommen wenig in Frage.__Die Bevölkerung... hat ein oberflächliche Idee über psychischen Leiden. So ist es, meines Erachtens nach

Monalisa
Monalisa

Before I left Switzerland, I had started a psychiatric nursing course, but I didn’t like how jaded staff was except for a few , some seemed crazier than the patients. __In Canada many psychiatric hospitals have been closed and we have so many uncared for homeless that should have a safe place to be cared for. Many have psychiatric problems they treat themselves with substance abuse. Very sad. I’ve had depression. Now I combat that with thankfulness and faith.

Anonymous
Anonymous
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.

Hello, I have been living in Thailand for 15 years. However, I am not a specialist in "mental health treatment". Nevertheless the following. There are well-trained psychologists and psychiatrists in Thailand, perhaps not enough. In both state and private hospitals there are "psychiatric" departments, or the possibility of being "transferred". There are also relatively many "psychological problems" here, but they are not as obvious and latent as in Europe. BECAUSE OF THE FAMILY . The strongest pillar here is still the family, even for mentally ill people, as long as the family can support them, and the Thais are very strong and good in this respect. I think the biggest problem group are drug and alcohol addicts.... and slowly the "phone addicts" are also being added. They are also a real challenge for the Thai authorities and social services. But I think everyone will be helped professionally in "some" form. pje

Guten Tag, ich lebe seit 15 Jahren in Thailand. Bin aber kein Spezialist betreffend "psychische - Kranken - Behandlungen". Trotzdem folgendes. Es gibt in Thailand gut ausgebildete Psychologen und Psychiater, vielleicht nicht genug. In staatlichen wie privaten Spitälern gibt es "psychische" Abteilungen, oder die Möglichkeit, weiter "verschoben" zu werden. Es gibt auch relativ viele "psychische Probleme" hier aber die sind nicht so offensichtlich und latent wie in Europa. WEGEN DER FAMILIE . Die stärkste Säule hier ist immer noch die Familie auch bei psychisch kranken Menschen, solange die Familie das tragen kann, und die Thais sind in diser Beziehung sehr stark und gut. Ich denke die grösste Problemgruppe sind Drogen- und Alkohlsüchtige....und langsam kommen auch noch die "Telefonsüchtigen" dazu. Die sind für die thailändischen Behörden und Sozialdienste auch eine echte Herausforderung. Aber ich denke es wird allen in "irgend-einer" Form fachmännisch geholfen. pje

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Anonymous

Thanks for sharing!

Rafiq Tschannen
Rafiq Tschannen

One teenager I knew had some 'difficulties' (challenges) and it was recommended that he see a Psychologist in Switzerland. The main experience was that this Psychologist just did not want to let go. When the teenager did not want to come twice then once a week the Psychologist begged for at least once a month. Finally it was the Teenager who had to terminate the Doctor and not the other way around. And he was better off without the so-called 'treatment'...

Juan Francisco
Juan Francisco
The following contribution has been automatically translated from ES.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

Terapia cognitivo conductual

swisstester123@gmail.com
swisstester123@gmail.com

I once consulted a swiss psychiatrist here together with my teenage son over several months. I find that the medically trained person appeared aloof and disengaged and sometimes even offer unprofessional and unsympathetic advice. At one point he even suggested to me and my wife (couples therapy) that perhaps it is good that we divorce.____Back in Asia, where people are super busy earning money to pay for their livelihood, mental health is less prominent although there are outliers. People don't have time to be mentally ill. For those who have, many do not seek treatment because the reason just stated (money). For those who can, it is like a luxury car, only a few can afford it and when they do, they say it is very good.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Hello Everyone,
I spend one year in Switzerland there medical treatment is very costly and medicine is also very expensive.
In my Pakistan every kind of treatment in many hospital is free, and Cancer is too much expensive in every country but in Pakistan you can come in Shoukat Khanam Hospital (Ex.Prime Minister Imran Khan's Hospital ) is completely free for everyone.
Be very honest with everyone and be very happy always .

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Anonymous

Thanks for your contribution, how are mental illnesses treated in Pakistan? Anything different besides the price tag

LynxVegas
LynxVegas

I once read there are more psychiatrists per head of population in Switzerland than anywhere else in the world. However, mention you have mental problems at work, or too much stress or burnout, often results in very little sympathy from employers. In fact, if you take a break to deal with it, getting a job afterwards, having to explain any gaps in your resume at an interview, can be problematic too.

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@LynxVegas

Thanks for your reply. My colleague covered burnout and Switzerland in 2019, but the piece is still relevant if you'd like to read it: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/society/mental-health_why-the-world-is-so-divided-on-burnout/45023452

Susanne
Susanne

How can you claim that the University Hospital ofGeneva is the only one to administer psychedelic treatments when there are over 80 licensed psychedelic therapists (psychiatrists and doctors and psychotherapist and psychologists working in delegation) licensed to do so. They treat about 600 patient a year by now.
The same goes for the University of Basel, where alcoholics are treated with LSD, or at the University of Zürich where depression is treated with pharmahuasca (a version of ayahuasca where you don't vomit).
This si so bald researched I just can't believe it!
Susanne Seiler
Editor gaiamedia goodnews

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@Susanne

Dear Susanne, many thanks for your comment. The piece doesn't say HUG is the only place to offer psychedelic treatments. One of the patients quoted in the piece followed his treatment in a private practice, while the other did so at a clinic. In fact, we mention that 686 exceptional authorisations were delivered in 2024, and that a handful of private clinics, the university clinics of Bern, Zurich, Fribourg along with the HUG, offer the treatment. We will take note of Basel University clinic and amend if necessary. Best, Aylin

Roland Ruckstuhl
Roland Ruckstuhl
The following contribution has been automatically translated from DE.
@Susanne

There are several psychiatric clinics in each canton. The PUK (Psychische Klinik Zürich) treats all types of mental illness. This also applies to other clinics. At the moment we have hardly any psychiatrists. They are poorly paid.

In jedem Kanton gibt es mehrere psychiatrische Kliniken. Die PUK (Psychische Klinik Zürich) behandelt alle Arten von Psychischen Erkrankungen. Das gilt auch für andere Kliniken. Zur Zeit haben wir kaum Psychiater. Sie werden schlecht bezahlt.

MoreReferendums
MoreReferendums

In New York, United States there is almost no talk therapy. The psychiatrist threatens you to take the most dangerous diabetes-causing antipsychotic. There are privately owned hospital chains such as Northwell and state owned such as Pilgrim (many gang members) which electrocutes (ECT) people, damaging memory.

Magnetic TMS and ultrasound are rare. At Zucker Hillside the head nurse shut off the phone when I was reporting a 19 year old had been raped and they stabbed me with a haldol needle to the neck. We need a referendum like the Swiss had on respecting bodily autonomy in the half of states that have ballot initiatives.

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@MoreReferendums

Thank you for sharing your experience. There are several helplines available if you need support, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in the U.S. on 1-800-950-6264. In Switzerland, patients can contact Pro Mente Sana, the national foundation that supports the needs and rights of people affected by mental illnesses. They are on 0848 800 858.

Aylin Elçi
Aylin Elçi SWI SWISSINFO.CH
@MoreReferendums

I also want to mention a study titled "Psychotherapy Trends in the United States", which was published in the American journal of psychiatry a couple of days ago. It found that there was some change in the treatment of mental illness in the US between 2018 and 2021, and it's quite interesting.____Here are key findings for adults receiving outpatient mental health care:__- Psychotherapy alone increased from 11.5% to 15.4%,__- Psychotherapy and psychotropic medication together increased 20.8% to 22.5%,__- Use of psychotropic medication alone declined from 67.6% to 62.1% (still quite high!).__ __More generally, spending on psychotherapy increased from $30.8 to $51 billion between 2018 and 2021, and nearly 22 million American adults (or 8.5% of the population) received psychotherapy in 2021, compared to 16.5 million (6.5%) in 2018.__ __But access remains to psychotherapy remains unequal and was primarily observed among:__- Adults experiencing mild to moderate distress__- Females__- Younger individuals__- Individuals with college degrees, higher incomes and private insurance____Here is the link to the study: https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ajp.20240492

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