Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Mental health in the Netherlands - statistics & facts
Four out of ten people in the Netherlands experience some kind of mental health issue in the course of their life. This share is even higher among young people aged between 16 and 25 years. Indeed, in this age group, over half experience mental health problems, and levels of loneliness and suicidal thoughts are high. Across the country, the Dutch government has put in place frontline support by GPs when it comes to primary and secondary mental healthcare, with outpatient treatments always considered the first choice while admission to mental health institutions are a last resort. In 2024, the mental healthcare cost in the Netherlands reached an all-time high with over 5.5 billion euros, about one tenth of the total healthcare costs sustained across the country in the same period.
