Portugal's Anxiety Crisis Deepens — INE Data Shows Nearly 40% of Adults Report Symptoms

Portugal's mental health crisis has reached alarming new proportions, according to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) on the eve of World Health Day. The annual Health Statistics report shows that 39.4 per cent of the adult population — nearly four in ten people aged 16 and over — now report generalised anxiety symptoms, a jump of more than seven percentage points from 32 per cent in 2024.

Within that figure, 11.3 per cent of the population reported severe anxiety, up from 10.4 per cent the previous year. The data paints a picture of a country where mental distress is becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Women and the Unemployed Are Hit Hardest

The gender gap in reported anxiety remains stark. Among women, 46.2 per cent reported anxiety symptoms — compared with 31.2 per cent of men. For severe cases, the divide is even sharper: 14.6 per cent of women versus just 7.2 per cent of men.

Employment status is the single strongest predictor. Among the unemployed, a staggering 50.2 per cent reported generalised anxiety symptoms — more than half of all jobseekers. The correlation extends to economic insecurity more broadly: those on lower incomes and in precarious work arrangements reported significantly higher rates.

Education Level as a Buffer

The INE data reveals a clear gradient by education level. Among adults with no formal schooling, 49.6 per cent reported anxiety symptoms. Those with only basic education were close behind at 43.7 per cent. The rate dropped to 35.9 per cent for those with secondary education and 33.9 per cent for university graduates.

Researchers caution that this does not necessarily mean education prevents anxiety — higher education tends to correlate with higher income, more stable employment, and greater access to healthcare, all of which are independent protective factors.

A System Under Pressure

The findings come at a difficult time for Portugal's mental health services. The National Health Service (SNS) has been struggling with chronic shortages of psychiatrists and psychologists, particularly outside Lisbon and Porto. Waiting times for a first psychiatric consultation in the public system can exceed six months in some regions.

The government's Mental Health Reform Plan, approved in late 2025, pledged to recruit 400 additional mental health professionals by 2028 and to integrate psychological care into primary health centres nationwide. But implementation has been slow, and the latest INE numbers suggest the problem is outpacing the response.

Health Minister Ana Paula Martins acknowledged the data in a statement, calling it "a mirror that demands action" and reaffirming the government's commitment to expanding community-based mental health services. Opposition parties, however, accused the government of underfunding the reform.

The Broader Context

Portugal is not alone in this trend — anxiety and depression rates have risen across southern Europe since the pandemic. But the Portuguese numbers are notably higher than the EU average of roughly 25 per cent for self-reported anxiety symptoms, according to Eurostat's 2024 health survey.

The INE report also found that one in five Portuguese adults reported depressive symptoms, and that only 58 per cent of those with diagnosed mental health conditions were receiving any form of treatment — a figure that underscores the gap between need and access.