Important things to know about mental health services in Germany

Understanding what choices are available and are out in the open regarding the mental health services can make a huge difference in the lives of people. It can lead to differences in the quality of life and overall mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. The German nation offers various options to its residents, visitors and the military personnel. US military personnel have the option to avail TRICARE coverage for psychological services.

WHO standards and DSM V protocols  

(Diagnostic Statistical Manual-5th edition) in Germany:

Mental health is defined by WHO as “a state of wellbeing in which an individual can realise his or her own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and make a contribution to the community”. This definition includes that psychological problem, not only affect the people suffering but also their families, friends, caregivers and society. About ⅓ of the adults suffer from at least one mental disorder over the course of their lives. Yet despite mental illness being frequent and a leading cause of disability in many Western countries, those suffering are not only confined to direct consequences but also are a constant subject matter of stigma and stereotypes and discrimination. Therefore WHO strives to improve promotion, prevention, care and treatment. 

Germany leads Europe in its commitment to treating mental illnesses by providing financial support for patients, access to healthcare services, help to find or stay in work, outreach programs or awareness campaigns. Both inpatient and outpatient services are included in the German healthcare system and general practitioners play an important role in identifying and dealing with the mental health problems on a daily basis. They identify, diagnose and treat patients and refer them to specialists. Apart from the primary healthcare that they receive, patients can directly reach out to psychiatrists for psycho-pharmacological treatment, licensed clinical psychologists for psychotherapy, and specialists for psychosomatic medicine who are referred to as MDs who conduct psychotherapy. In most cases, psychiatrists don’t offer psychotherapy due to time constraints. Offline based psychologists can be found through websites such as Hessen. All medical professionals adhere to DSM V protocols for diagnosis and treatment and classification of the mental disorders based on the guidelines given by the WHO.

Inpatient and Outpatient care: If inpatient psychological help is required, there are two treatment places and options available. 

• Psychosomatic clinics that treat depression, anxiety, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and eating disorders.
• Psychiatric hospitals also treat the above mentioned along with other neurotic disorders. 

Both of these can exist as standalone clinics or inpatient wards for admission in general hospitals. Even though there’s considerable overlap in the range of treatments availed, psychiatric treatment is essential for more severe mental problems such as acute or intermittent suicidal tendencies, addiction or other psychotic symptoms. Psychiatric hospitals offer support for a few days to months, while the psychosomatic clinic serves as a service arena that has an average stay of six weeks. In addition, psychiatric hospitals offer integrated outpatient services for follow up sessions to measure the progress. Various doctors are a part of the International SOS/TRICARE Overseas Program Network. This is useful for immigrants, military personnel and foreign exchange students who study in Germany to access mental healthcare and services. Information about the treatment options is given to you by the local TRICARE centre. For off base care, you need pre-authorization. 

Fact check: Germany offers a unique and a partial inpatient treatment service or Tagesklinik to ease the transition from clinic to home. In these settings, the patients spend the entire day at the clinic but go about their everyday lives afterwards and sleep at home.