In Turkey, the number of medical visits has increased by 239 million, and the use of antidepressants has risen by 67%, as stress contributes to illness rates.
Turkey Faces Severe Poverty and Mental Health Strains
In the heart of 2025, Turkey is grappling with a rising tide of poverty and mental health challenges. According to recent data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), nearly 12 million people live in extreme poverty, with over 14 million relying on social assistance programs to survive [1]. This stark reality is further underscored by the fact that one-third of children in Turkey and over 8 million children (including refugees) live in poor households [1].
The economic crisis, unemployment, and financial strain have contributed significantly to the increase in antidepressant use, with a staggering 65,591,252 boxes used in 2024, marking a 67% increase from 2014 [3]. Main opposition MP Mustafa Sarigul has been vocal about these issues, linking poverty-driven malnutrition and stress to rising illness rates. He reported that 85 million citizens became ill three times in just six months [4].
Sarigul has warned of the health consequences of deep poverty in Turkey, stating, "Deep poverty causes deep wounds" [4]. He has also argued that the reasons behind such high hospital visits must be examined. In fact, Turkey recorded 239,166,000 medical examinations in the first half of 2025, a figure that is nearly three times Turkey's population [2].
However, it's important to note that Turkey provides universal health coverage for its citizens and refugees, including free access to primary through tertiary public health services for Syrian refugees [2]. This broad coverage has led to high utilization rates, with an infrastructure that includes field hospitals and coordinated health outreach programs improving maternal and child health services for vulnerable populations.
Yet, the combined effects of poverty, migration, social crises, and global instability have negatively affected the population’s psychological well-being. Nursing students, for example, report high anxiety influenced by ongoing pandemics, economic insecurity, migration waves, and political tensions. Refugees and migrants face mental health challenges compounded by social stressors and fear of war [4].
Other social context factors include a stalled population growth rate, an increasing elderly population, and a rising dependency ratio, all of which may further strain social services and healthcare systems. With high unemployment rates (11.65 million unemployed as of July 2025) [5], the challenges Turkey faces are indeed complex and require urgent attention.
References:
- Turkey's Poverty Rate and Child Poverty Statistics
- Universal Health Coverage in Turkey
- Median Wealth Per Adult in Turkey 2024
- Mental Health in Turkey
- Social and Economic Challenges in Turkey
- Despite Turkey's universal health coverage, the combined effects of poverty, migration, and social crises have strained the population's mental health, as reported by nursing students and refugees.
- In response to these issues, opposition MP Mustafa Sarigul has linked poverty-driven malnutrition and stress to rising illness rates, suggesting a need to examine factors behind high hospital visits.
- The economic crisis and unemployment in Turkey have contributed to a 67% increase in antidepressant use since 2014, with over 65 million boxes used in 2024.
- Turkey is home to nearly 12 million people living in extreme poverty, with over 14 million relying on social assistance programs, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK).
- The government's efforts to improve healthcare services, such as providing free access to primary through tertiary public health services for Syrian refugees, have been successful in increasing utilization rates, although it has also strained the infrastructure.
- Beyond mental health, other social context factors in Turkey include a stalled population growth rate, an increasing elderly population, and a rising dependency ratio, all of which may further strain social services and healthcare systems.
- In the field of chronic diseases and neurological disorders, researchers in Turkey are increasingly turning to alternative treatments such as CBD to address the rising health concerns, given the country's growing interest in science and health-and-wellness, including fitness-and-exercise and nutrition.
