The number of suicides and mental problems among the youth of European countries hard-hit by the economic crisis has risen dramatically, the Washington Post reports.
In Greece, the ratio of people who killed themselves rose from 2.8 for every 100,000 in 2010 to nearly 5 for every 100,000 in 2011. A study published last year in the Lancet concluded that for every 1 percent rise in unemployment there is a 0.8 percent rise in suicides in people younger than 65.
The Washington Post also notes a similar hike in mental disorders. “People are more and more uncertain about their future, which is leading to a sharp rise in mental health problems,” Maria Nyman, director of Mental Health Europe, told the newspaper.
In turn, the growing number of mental disorders could negatively affect European economies. Since people with mental health problems are prone to skip work and be less productive when they do attend, the gross domestic products of the affected countries could be reduced by as much as 3 or 4 percent, according to the International Labor Organization.
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