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Germany sees sharp rise in mental health-related sick leave
Mental health issues are driving a significant increase in sick leave across Germany. Data from health insurers like AOK and DAK indicate that psychological disorders are becoming a leading cause of workplace absenteeism. AOK reports that the number of sick days due to mental illness rose by nearly 42 percent over a ten-year period, reaching 403 days per 100 members in 2025. Notably, these absences tend to be much longer than those caused by physical ailments; for instance, mental health absences averaged 28.5 days compared to just 5.7 days for respiratory infections.
Experts and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) suggest that a series of ongoing crises—including the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and inflation—have contributed to a decline in psychological well-being. This trend is particularly evident among young women. Research shows an increasing prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the population, with approximately 22 percent of adults reporting depressive symptoms in 2024.
Occupational sectors such as call centers, elderly care, and childcare show particularly high rates of mental health-related absences due to high emotional demands and psychosocial stressors. While total sick leave rates in some regions like Lübeck have seen slight decreases, the economic impact remains substantial, with insurance expenditures for mental health treatments rising significantly.
Entities
AOK · DAK · Gaza Strip · Germany · Katri Bertram · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Robert Koch Institute · Saxony · Wissenschaftliches Institut der AOK · Ärzte der Welt
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The average number of sick days per 100 members due to mental illness in Bavaria rose from 248 to 349 over ten years. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.onetz.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mental illness absences average nearly 28 days, compared to 5.3 days for respiratory infections. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.onetz.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Women are twice as likely to be affected by depression as men.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately one in six adults will experience depression during their lifetime.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Burnout diagnoses saw an 83 percent increase in lost days per 100 members, rising from 8.8 to 16.1 days. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.onetz.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Saxony, there were an average of 417 sick days per 100 AOK-insured employees due to mental illness. www.it-boltwise.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The sickness rate in Lübeck was 7.4 percent in the first half of 2026. hier-luebeck.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Call centers recorded the highest rate of mental health-related sick leave at 44.3 per 100 employees. www.ostseewelle.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, there were 497 sick days due to mental illness per 100 AOK-insured employees last year. www.ostseewelle.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The average duration of sick leave for mental illness was 29 days. www.ostseewelle.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Respiratory diseases remained the most common reason for sick leave in Lübeck. hier-luebeck.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Mental illnesses are experiencing a gradual reduction in social stigma.