40% of men and 58% of women in Albania suffered from a mental health symptom in 2023

Nearly more than half of Albania's population has suffered from some type of mental health symptom, notes the EBRD's 2023 Transition Report.

Albania is ranked among the countries with the highest levels of mental health problems, ranking 18 out of 38 transition countries of the EBRD.

Women suffer more than men from mental health in all countries, including Albania.

EBRD notes that good mental health is closely related to productivity. A good state of mind increases the amount of time people are able to work and thus increases their income and wealth.

Strong mental health is also associated with higher levels of optimism about life. Even in this indicator, the population of Albania has not made any improvement since 2016.

Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders are the top 10 causes that limit people's abilities, with depression and anxiety being the most common.

The EBRD survey asked people whether and how often they experience sadness, depression, anxiety and apathy.

Levels of mental distress vary considerably by gender across economies.

In Slovenia, mental distress is almost as rare as in Germany, while in Algeria, Jordan and Tunisia around 90 percent of respondents report feeling some form of mental distress at least once a week.

The average incidence of 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, consistent 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 in men. At the same time, men may under-report symptoms that may indicate weakness, such as low mood or illness, because they adhere more strongly to traditional norms about masculinity.

The survey noted that young and old people have the highest prevalence of mental health problems, with 40% of them globally reporting disorders at least once a week.

The prevalence of mental illness is estimated to peak in the mid-thirties. Respondents also reported that they have poor ability to perform daily tasks as a result of emotional disorders from stress and depression. Monitor