Almost more than half of Albania’s population has experienced a form of mental health symptom, notes the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Transition Report for the year 2023.
Albania ranks among the countries with the highest levels of mental health issues, holding the 18th position out of 38 transition countries in the EBRD report.
Females suffer more than males from mental health issues in all countries, including Albania.
EBRD emphasizes that good mental health is closely linked to productivity. Good mental health increases the amount of time people can work, thus raising their income and wealth.
Strong mental health is also associated with a higher level of optimism about life. In this indicator, the population of Albania has not shown any improvement since 2016.
Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders are the top 10 reasons limiting people’s abilities, with depression and anxiety being the most prevalent.
The EBRD survey asked people how often they experience sadness, depression, anxiety, and apathy.
Levels of mental distress vary significantly by gender in all economies.
In Slovenia, mental distress is almost as rare as in Germany, while in Algeria, Jordan, and Tunisia, around 90 percent of respondents report having felt some form of mental distress at least once a week.
The average incidence of mental distress is higher for women than for men in all countries. This difference is statistically significant in most cases and holds across all age groups, in line with global trends as reported in the Global Burden of Disease study.
Other signs of mental distress not covered by the survey, such as substance abuse, are more common among men. At the same time, men may underreport symptoms that may indicate weakness, such as low mood or illness, as they adhere more strongly to traditional norms regarding masculinity.
The survey highlighted that young people and the elderly have higher prevalences of mental health problems, as 40% of them globally report disorders at least once a week.
The prevalence of mental illness is estimated to peak in the thirties. Respondents also reported having weakened abilities to perform daily tasks as a result of emotional disturbances from stress and depression.
