Overview
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is more than the absence of illness.
Anyone can experience mental ill health at any point in their life. No one factor contributes to the development of a mental health condition – it is the result of a complex interaction of factors within the person and their social environment.
Protecting mental health, therefore, requires more than merely treating the symptoms of mental health conditions. It requires a comprehensive approach wherein government sectors outside of health come together to promote well-being and resilience, ensure access to mental health care and prevent exposure to life circumstances that can lead to mental ill health in the first place.
Mental health systems in the WHO European Region
Despite being one of the most resourced WHO regions, the WHO European Region has persistent challenges in delivering mental health services and support to those in need.
- Mental health policies exist but action is uneven: almost all countries have a mental health policy or strategy, but the extent of implementation varies across policy areas. According to a 2024 survey of 29 countries, only 11 have mechanisms in place for the coordination of and cooperation for policy implementation and strong buy-in from mental health sector stakeholders.
- There is a shortage of mental health workers: the WHO European Region faces a critical shortage of health workers, especially mental health professionals. The WHO Mental Health Atlas shows that, as of 2024, the European Region had 9.9 psychiatrists, 28.4 mental health nurses and 9.3 psychologists per 100 000 population.
- Working together matters, but some voices are missing: successful action depends on collaboration between governments, health services, community organizations and other partners, with 38% of countries saying that this kind of teamwork is a major strength. However, in many places, people with lived experience of mental health conditions are still not meaningfully involved in shaping policies and services.
Stigma and discrimination
Stigma and discrimination around mental health exist in every country and they can deeply affect people’s lives. In part because of stigma and discrimination, people living with mental health conditions are less likely to seek help when they need it, less likely to continue with treatment and more likely to struggle with work and relationships. They also have a markedly shorter life expectancy. Reducing stigma and discrimination can benefit families, societies and economies – it can save lives. WHO/Europe’s Mosaic toolkit recommends 3 evidence-based ways to make a difference:
- leadership or co-leadership by people with lived experience – making those directly affected help to shape decisions;
- social contact – creating opportunities for open, respectful conversation with people with and without mental health conditions; and
- inclusive partnerships – working together across communities, services and sectors to challenge stigma.
Recovery-oriented mental health services
People with lived (or living) experience bring unique insights that can change how care is delivered. They may support others on their recovery journeys by showing that recovery is possible, help people to navigate the mental health system and advise organizations and policy-makers to ensure that services and policies work as intended.
WHO/Europe is pursuing the development of recovery-oriented services through the WHO QualityRights Initiative and WHO’s roadmap for integrating lived experience outlining essential actions to embed lived experience practitioners in mental health systems and services.
Mental health and psychosocial support
WHO offers technical and operational support to help countries to implement mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in the face of ongoing crises across the Region. Armed conflict, war and natural or man-made disasters can cause profound psychological distress and often worsen existing mental health conditions.
WHO deploys experts to crisis-affected areas to meet immediate mental health needs, strengthen coordination among partners and build the foundations for sustainable support systems. This includes assisting refugees and displaced persons in accessing care for pre-existing conditions – such as obtaining psychotropic medications or counselling services. WHO also develops and disseminates MHPSS guidance, coordinates response efforts among humanitarian partners and provides surge capacity to reinforce national and local health systems during emergencies.
Standardizing quality of child and youth mental health care
Many children and young people requiring mental health support do not access the care they need. Quality health services should be effective, safe, people-centred, timely, equitable, integrated and efficient. High-quality care is also impacted by other factors, such as the number and types of services available, in which there is considerable variation across the Region.
WHO/Europe’s Quality standards for child and youth mental health services, which prioritize inputs from young people and caregivers, define what high-quality care looks like.
Digital mental health of adolescents
From social media to artificial intelligence-powered platforms, today’s digital world can both help and harm the mental health of children and adolescents in the WHO European Region. Technology use affects youth mental health in complex and contradictory ways. It can connect, inspire and educate, but it can also expose young people to serious risks.
Common online dangers include cyberbullying, unrealistic body ideals, self-harm content, harmful marketing and invasive data collection. Algorithm-driven platforms can make these problems worse, especially when there is no transparency or consent from young people.
WHO/Europe’s policy brief on addressing the digital determinants of youth mental health and well-being supports countries to formulate evidence-informed policy responses to the increasing influence of digital determinants on the mental health of young people in the WHO European Region.
WHO response
WHO works towards improving mental health in the Region by supporting the development of:
- policy and services
- research and evidence
- guidelines and tools to set norms and standards
- capacity-building activities
- advocacy and partnerships
Together with partners, including the European Commission, the Hellenic Republic and the United Nations Children’s Fund, WHO supports countries with activities that promote good mental health and prevent mental ill health. These efforts include empowering people with lived experience, service users and health and care workers to ensure that services respond to real needs, developing and expanding community-based services, improving quality of child and youth mental health services, and leveraging data and digital innovation for improved digital mental health. WHO also delivers concrete support through policy engagement, capacity-building on the QualityRights Initiative, the Mental Health Gap Action Programme and policy and leadership in mental health, and advocates to end stigma and discrimination and to integrate lived and living experience practitioners into policy, services and community.