Stress-related illnesses such as depression and adjustment disorders pose enormous challenges to the economy and society. Solutions to this problem can also be found in nature.

In Germany, the number of days lost from work due to mental illness has increased rapidly. From 2000 to 2019, there was an overall increase of 137 per cent in the number of days absent from work due to mental illness. This is a key finding of the Psychoreport 2020 of the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit. According to the DAK report, every 18th employee was absent from work in 2019 due to mental health problems - which means that 2.2 million people were affected. It goes on to say that with 276 days of absence per 100 insured persons, the level was 41 per cent higher than ten years ago. At the same time, sick leave due to mental health problems lasted an average of 39.2 days in 2021 - longer than ever before. For the report, the DAK evaluated the data of 2.4 million employed insured persons.

In an article from www.procontra-online.de, DAK CEO Andreas Storm also explains the increase with the Covid 19 pandemic. "Our report shows that many people with mental illness are suffering extremely from the ongoing stress of the pandemic." Those affected are currently also finding it more difficult to return to their everyday working lives. According to Storm, this has to do with the special working conditions under Corona, but stigmatisation also plays a role. Although depression and anxiety are now talked about more openly in the family and in the doctor's office than they used to be, "mental problems are still a taboo in many companies. Employers should therefore focus more on stress and possible strains. "We welcome the plans of the traffic light coalition and expressly support the educational campaign to destigmatise mental illness," the article says.

"There can also be great stress due to current developments with high inflation, energy crisis, war and the threat of recession. This, in the wake of the still unresolved Covid 19 pandemic and new threats of measures for autumn and winter, can have an additional negative impact on mental health," says Natura Vitalis founder Frank Felte (www.naturavitalis.de). The company from Essen has long been considered one of the leading manufacturers of natural food supplements and places the highest value on continuous further and new developments of health products on a scientific basis.

According to the company, companies in particular must work towards reducing stress in order to maintain their own performance. Certainly, some phases are simply stressful when the clock is ticking and things simply have to be done. And stress can even motivate and spur on top performance. But it should not get out of hand and lead to employees being unable to think of anything but hectic and perhaps also the associated annoyance with colleagues and superiors.

"Because experience shows that constant stress also leads to bad moods and tensions, which in turn makes the situation even more difficult. Then motivation declines, the risks, days of absence and costs for the companies increase - and the employees may have impaired health in the long term," says Frank Felte.

According to the Stiftung Deutsche Depressionshilfe (German Depression Aid Foundation), depression, for example, is one of the most common illnesses and one of the most underestimated in terms of its severity. Every fifth German citizen suffers from depression once in a lifetime, and a total of almost five million people in Germany are affected by unipolar depression requiring treatment every year.

One way of promoting the mental health of employees is the targeted use of natural vital substances, such as Natura Vitalis has been using in its own products for many years. They achieve an immediate, lasting effect and are absolutely healthy and gentle. The jasmine blossom, for example, is one of the special products. They are known throughout the world as the top anti-stress substance. The blossoms affect the central nervous system, relax and have a positive effect on the state of mind. The same applies to hops, which are known for their calming effect. The medicinal plant of the year 2007 has an immediate positive effect on the psyche and thus on the complete mental balance. Cheerfulness, light-heartedness and ease spread immediately after taking hops. This fact is scientifically recognised today.