Number of psychological patients triples in four years: Ministry

The number of people who have applied to undergo psychological treatment has tripled between 2009 and 2013, official figures have shown.

Around 3 million people went to the doctor for psychological aid in 2009, while this figure rose to over 9 million, the Health Ministry said in a response to a parliamentary question.

The number of patients has particularly soared in Istanbul, almost multiplying by six. In 2009 there were 262,364 who requested psychological help, while in 2013 this number rose to 1,498,340.

The capital, Ankara, is also among the cities that have faced high increases in the number of psychological patients. Just over 70,000 people were undergoing psychological treatment in 2009 – a small number for Turkey’s second most populated city, when compared to smaller cities. But that figure jumped to over 487,000 in 2010.

“Uncertainty about the future is experienced more commonly during crises. People worry about what can happen to them or their children. We know anxiety and depression double or triple during those periods, as well as suicide attempts,” said Burhanettin Kaya, a representative from the Turkish Psychiatry Association.

Domestic violence

Kaya noted the increasing number of treatments was also linked to domestic violence. “Murders of women have increased by about 1,400 percent, increasing with the number of women confined at home and face violence. Many young women face a lot of pressure at home. Early marriages are a very important factor as well,” Kaya said.