Mental health has become the silent epidemic of the 21st century. While the world celebrated the end of COVID-19 restrictions, another crisis persisted and intensified in the shadows: the deterioration of the psychological health of the global population. The data is alarming and confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO): during the first year of the pandemic, the prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25% globally, an unprecedented figure that demonstrates the magnitude of the problem we face.

The triple impact of COVID-19, the climate crisis, and geopolitical conflicts has created a perfect cocktail for the deterioration of mental health. Loneliness from social isolation, fear of contagion, grief for deceased loved ones, and economic uncertainty have acted as triggers for millions of people who had never before experienced psychological problems. Paradoxically, while the need for care grew, mental health services were precisely the most disrupted during the global health emergency.

The gap between need and care is scandalous. Nearly one billion people suffer from diagnosable mental disorders, with 82% residing in low and middle-income countries. However, budgets allocated to mental health represent barely 2% of total health spending in most countries. This disproportion translates into an unacceptable reality, as eight out of ten people with serious mental disorders receive no treatment at all. The deficit of specialized professionals aggravates the situation, with countries reporting fewer than two mental health workers per 100,000 inhabitants.

The pandemic has revealed that certain groups are particularly vulnerable. Young people top the list of those affected, with a worrying increase in the risk of suicidal behaviors. Women, who frequently assumed greater care responsibilities during lockdowns, have experienced higher rates of anxiety and depression than men. Healthcare workers, subjected to extreme stress and prolonged exhaustion, have reported alarming rates of burnout and suicidal ideation. This panorama reveals a pandemic within the pandemic, characterized by an unequal distribution of psychological suffering.

Faced with this crisis, the World Health Organization launched in 2019 the Special Initiative for Mental Health, a program that sought to expand access to psychological care to one hundred million people in twelve countries. This initiative, together with the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030, represents a coordinated effort to transform global care. However, to achieve a significant impact, bolder public policies and a redefinition of priorities are required.

The recommendations of the High-Level Commission on Mental Health and COVID-19 of the Pan American Health Organization offer a clear roadmap: elevate mental health to national and supranational levels, integrate it into all public policies, significantly increase its funding, and ensure a community approach to services. It is imperative to abandon the hospital-centered model and move towards early community-based interventions. Additionally, the digitalization of psychological services represents an unprecedented opportunity to expand coverage, provided that the accessibility and quality of these tools are guaranteed.

Mental health cannot continue to be treated as a luxury or a secondary aspect of public health. Economic data confirms this: for every dollar invested in treatments for depression and anxiety, four dollars are obtained in improved health and labor productivity. The post-pandemic crisis demands a coordinated and ambitious response, with real financial commitments and policies that address the social determinants of psychological well-being. Only in this way can we transform this crisis into an opportunity to build more resilient and healthy societies where mental health is, at last, a priority for all.