Can psychotherapy be good for business? According to the World Health Organization, the answer is yes. And the financial upside is higher than you might think.

It is no secret that mental illness is becoming an epidemic.

According to the WHO, more than 300 million people are currently living with depression around the world.

To put that in perspective, that is roughly the population of the entire United States of America. And that doesn’t include anxiety disorders, attention deficit disorders or any other form of mental illness.

It is also no surprise that many people do not receive treatment for mental health issues.

Even in high-income countries like the United State, almost 50% of people do not get treatment for their depression.

What is surprising, however, is the economic benefit of receiving treatment. According to the WHO’s recent report, every US$ 1 invested into treatment for depression and anxiety leads to a return of US$ 4 in better health and ability to work.

That’s a 400% return on investment.

So it turns out, spending money on psychotherapy might be more effective than investing with Warren Buffett… by about 380%.

Written By: Eric McClerren, LAPC