Israel is grappling with what experts describe as a “mental health tsunami,” with an estimated two million people now in need of psychological support as addiction rates climb and social cohesion frays, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s English daily.
A comprehensive report published on Friday warns that mental health professionals have seen a sharp surge in people seeking help since Oct. 7, 2023, even as the country faces a critical shortage of therapists and services. Eight leading mental health organisations recently issued an urgent appeal to the government, calling the situation an “unprecedented outbreak of mental illness” and describing the crisis as “catastrophic.”
“The psychological state and well-being of Israeli society are at a low point we have never seen before,” the coalition said, pointing to widespread depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, exhaustion, and signs of “deep and prolonged collective trauma.” The groups also warned that eroding public trust could have long-term consequences for future generations.
Data reviewed by Yedioth Ahronoth show steep nationwide increases in mental health challenges. Diagnoses of depression and anxiety in 2024 doubled compared with 2013, while PTSD cases rose 70 per cent every month from October 2023 through late 2024, adding 23,600 new patients.
Nearly half of Israelis report ongoing grief; mental health helpline calls have increased sixfold; psychiatric medication use has doubled; and sleep disorders have risen by 19 per cent during the war. A study by Clalit Health Services and the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute found that half of those directly impacted by October 7 remain significantly affected, while one in five in the general population suffers from severe functional impairment.
Ministry of Health figures show a 25 per cent rise in therapy sessions since October 7. Short-term psychotherapy cases soared by 471 percent, jumping from 3,500 in 2022 to 20,000 in 2024. Experts caution that these numbers represent only those who receive treatment, with the true scale likely far greater.
Professor Merav Roth of the University of Haifa said rates of depression, anxiety, addiction, marital strain, and regressive behaviour in children have all surged. “One in four people is now at risk of addiction,” she warned. “This increase is terrifying.”
Dr. Marina Kupchik, head of the Israeli Psychiatric Association, stressed the need for urgent investment in national rehabilitation. “If we do not invest in psychological recovery now, we will pay a much higher price in two or three years – in lost workdays, family and community instability, and declining occupational functioning.”
The Ministry of Health has launched a national rescue plan to double the number of psychologists, raise salaries, upgrade psychiatric wards, and expand home-based and community care, at an estimated cost of 1.7 billion shekels (USD 517 million).
But senior clinicians say the reforms fall short. Yoram Shliar, chair of the Israel Psychologists Association, criticised the reliance on minimally trained “mental-health assistants,” who receive only three months of preparation compared with eight years for licensed clinicians.
Dr. Ilana Lach added, “You cannot put a bandage on a bleeding wound. The mental health system must be rebuilt from the ground up.”
