During the 34th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Dr. Marcin Zarzecki, in an interview with the portal “Co w Zdrowiu”, drew attention to the state of mental health among young people in Poland. The expert emphasized that the situation is truly serious— in recent years, the number of suicide attempts among individuals aged 13–18 has increased by as much as 150%. Particularly worrying is the fact that the problem primarily affects girls.
At the same time, Poland is facing a dramatic shortage of specialists. On average, one child psychiatrist is responsible for 12,000 young patients— a rate six times worse than in Germany. In some regions of the country, access to psychiatric care is almost non-existent
Dr. Zarzecki pointed out that the solution cannot rely solely on pharmacological treatment. There is a need for deinstitutionalized models that combine psychiatric support with social and educational assistance. The role of parents, teachers, and primary care physicians is also crucial—these are the individuals who should form an early warning system. Unfortunately, as research conducted by Nicolaus Copernicus Superior School in Warsaw has shown, their knowledge and preparedness to respond to signs of suicidal crisis remain insufficient.
Dr. Marcin Zarzecki is a sociologist, statistician, social science methodologist, and evaluator. He holds a PhD in social sciences with a specialization in sociology and serves as a university lecturer. Dr. Zarzecki is an expert in the project “Suicidology – State of Knowledge Analysis and Educational Campaign”.
