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Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - They are afraid or are pathologically moody, they fidget too much, eat too little, others injure themselves with razor blades or cannot make friends. In Baden-Württemberg, the number of younger people who have sought help from psychotherapists because of these or similar problems has increased significantly in recent years. In 2019, almost 110,000 people aged up to 24 years of age received help, 88 percent more than in 2009, according to the latest doctor report from the Barmer health insurance company.

It remains unclear whether this increase also suggests an increasing number of boys and girls in need. The increase could also be related to the increased number of doctors as well as the changed awareness of doctors and patients, said the leading Barmer doctor Ursula Marschall on Wednesday when the report was presented. In addition, most of them leave the help department after the consultation. Around 48,000 children and young adults received talk therapy based on this, 18 percent more than in 2009. "Long-term talk therapy is not always necessary," said Marschall. «Even smaller measures can make a difference. The earlier this is initiated, the better. "

According to the doctor's report 2021, girls and young women are more often affected than boys because they suffer more from eating disorders or depression.

However, the number of boys and young men treated with psychotherapy in Baden-Württemberg almost doubled between 2009 and 2019.

According to the doctor's report, it reached almost 50,000 in 2019 (2009: 26,000).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which has been diagnosed very often over the past decade, could be one of the reasons.

As a result, boys would often be treated between the ages of ten and eleven, while young women were more likely to be treated in their 20s.

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One in five young people has also had experience of cyberbullying, for example by spreading rumors, photo montages, videos or insults about them on social media or in chats.

"Of course the digital has an effect," said the Baden-Württemberg Barmer managing director Winfried Plötze.

"Digital addictions are also a big topic, especially since the corona pandemic makes social contacts more difficult."

More offers, more patients?

The health insurance does not rule this out.

Because there are more and more therapists in Baden-Württemberg - especially in cities like Freiburg and Heidelberg, but less in rural areas.

The number of psychotherapists for children and adolescents who settled with the Barmer has risen by 25 percent to 768 in six years, the fund said.

The numbers are rising not least because mental illnesses are more widely accepted in society than they used to be, as Marschall says.

“That should also lead to more and more young people looking for help,” she said.

In addition, social and emotional sensitivities are increasingly included in the diagnosis of illness.

«Back pain in particular is often caused by emotional factors such as fear or worry about losing one's job.

It is important that the patient and the doctor recognize this. "

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According to the Barmer, the pandemic and lockdown in spring 2020 did not have a noticeable impact.

"The statement that the pandemic is exacerbating a shortage of treatment places cannot be confirmed on the basis of our data," said Plötze.

However, this could change with a view to the entire course of the pandemic and the coming months.

"Among other things, there are indications that first-year students suffer massively from not being able to exchange ideas and form networks," said the country manager.

The significantly increasing range of video consultation hours is also noticeable.

While they were offered by a dozen practices in the southwest in the fourth quarter of 2019, in the same period of 2020 there were already practices in 2013.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210428-99-385989 / 2

Nationwide Barmer doctor report 2021