Mental health absences rise in Germany, according to insurer reports

Recent reports from German health insurers DAK and AOK indicate a significant rise in workplace absenteeism due to mental health issues. According to the DAK-Psychreport 2026, mental illnesses have become the second most common cause of sick leave, trailing only respiratory diseases. In 2025, there were 366 sick days per 100 insured individuals due to mental health conditions, a figure that has more than tripled since the turn of the millennium.

Depression is identified as the primary driver, accounting for 55 percent of all mental-health-related work absences. The healthcare sector reported the highest impact with 474 sick days per 100 insured, followed by public administration and the education and media sectors. Data shows a notable gender disparity, with women averaging 456 sick days compared to 288 for men.

Complementary data from AOK highlights the duration of these absences. In 2025, mental health-related sick leave lasted an average of 28.5 days per case, significantly longer than the 5.7-day average for respiratory illnesses. AOK reported an average of 403 sick days per 100 members specifically linked to mental health diagnoses.