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Why are Mental Health illness-rates on the rise?

Tim Kleber
Nov 2025

The illness rate related to mental health issues is on the rise, affecting individuals and workplaces worldwide.

Here are reasons behind this concerning trend and the importance of addressing mental health proactively:

Some key reasons contributing to this trend include:

1️⃣ Stigma and Lack of Awareness: Stigma surrounding mental health often prevents individuals from seeking help or disclosing their struggles. Lack of awareness and understanding about mental health can further contribute to delayed or inadequate support, leading to a higher illness rate.

2️⃣ Work-Related Stress: Modern work environments can be high-pressure and demanding, leading to increased stress levels among employees. Factors such as long working hours, unrealistic expectations, and limited work-life balance can contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health issues.

3️⃣ Social and Digital Pressures: The digital age has brought its own set of challenges, including constant connectivity, social media comparisons, and the pressure to maintain an idealized online presence. These factors can negatively impact mental well-being, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.

4️⃣ Megatrend-Effects: Digitalisation and Globalisation are key drivers that change the circumstances we live in. While our world is as fast as never before, our human mind is not made for this velocity and connectivity. Mental health issues are the consequence.

To address the rising illness rate related to mental health issues, it's crucial that we take action:

✅ Promote Mental Health Awareness: By fostering open conversations, educating others, and challenging stigma, we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment where individuals feel comfortable seeking help.

✅ Prioritize Well-being in the Workplace: Employers play a vital role in creating mentally healthy workplaces. Offering mental health resources, implementing wellness programs, and promoting work-life balance can help reduce work-related stress and support employees' mental well-being.

✅ Advocate for Policy Changes: Organizations must prioritize mental health in policy planning and resource allocation. Investing in mental health services, improving access to care and integrating mental health support within healthcare systems are essential steps towards reducing the illness rate.

Cheers, Tim

About the drafters

Tim Kleber

Tim Kleber is CEO and co-founder of mentalport. As a mechanical engineer, business psychologist and data scientist, he combines technical precision with psychological expertise. His specialization: psychological risk assessment (GBU Psyche) in accordance with §5 ArbSchG and ISO 45003-compliant implementation in companies. After his own auditor experience in occupational safety, he and the mentalports team developed anonymous infrastructure for mental wellbeing management - today used by over 50 companies to reduce psychologically related downtime and active wellbeing management.

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