Belgians are feeling increasingly low. Both general psychological well-being and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression have worsened over the past twenty years, according to the latest Health Survey by the Sciensano institute released on Tuesday.
More people report being stressed, losing sleep over their worries, and feeling constantly tired, all signs of growing distress.
The survey's mental health section found that one in ten people say they are "very dissatisfied" with their lives, and one in five feel pessimistic about the future.
Women, working-age adults, and those with lower levels of education or income are the most affected.
Overall, well-being indicators remain lower in Wallonia than in Flanders, though the situation in Flanders has worsened more sharply.
Mental disorders are also on the rise. Anxiety now affects 13% of Belgians, up from 11% in 2018, while depression has risen from 9% to 13% over the same period.
Suicidal thoughts remain stable at 6% of the population, but suicide attempts have tripled since 2018, from 2 to 6 per thousand.
"Young people aged 15 to 24 are the most vulnerable: nearly one in four suffers from an anxiety or depressive disorder, and eating disorders and suicidal behaviour are also more common," Sciensano reported.
"These figures show the persistently high prevalence of mental health problems in Belgium and highlight the need to strengthen prevention and ensure fair access to psychological support services, especially for women, young people, and those in socially fragile situations," the Public Health Institute concluded.
