DGPPN 2018 Programm

WELCOME ADDRESS WELCOME ADDRESS According to the data currently availa- ble, just under one-third of the German population, between the ages of 18 and 79 years, suffer from a mental disorder in the course of any given year. Among these, the most frequent forms are depressive and anxiety disorders. Thanks to our fine- ly-meshed, nationwide healthcare system, with its well-trained doctors, psychologists and psychotherapists, the diagnosis of mental disorders and the care provided for affected persons have improved conside- rably in the past two decades. In addition, mental disorders are accepted, today for what they are: diseases that we can treat successfully. The task, and the ambition, of good health care is to help those affected in coping with their challenging situation. Healthca- re professionals perform an indispensable task in achieving this goal. Indeed, with the increasing de-stigmatisation of mental disease, there has been a steady increase in the demand for psychiatric and psycho- therapeutic care opportunities. We have also seen some improvements: an expansion in care provision capacity for example in the sector of outpatient psychotherapeutic service providers; in more recent years, there has also been a rise in capacity in the inpatient sector. Yet, there is still room for improvement. All too often, those in need still have to wait to gain access to outpatient or inpatient treatment. This is the case particularly in structurally weak regions. In other cases, affected persons do not receive treatment that is tailored to their individual needs. The further development of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care therefore remains a most pressing responsibility for policy-makers. It is a responsibility we can meet only if we also take new, innovative developments into account, and include these in the treatment pathways. For example, in the meantime, there is a large body of studies showing that compu- ter and internet-based treatment programs have a positive impact on specific mental diseases, compared with conventional face-to-face interventions. 272