{"id":19376,"date":"2026-03-16T10:43:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T09:43:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.u-center.nl\/waiting-times-in-mental-health-institutions-are-increasing-how-does-that-affect-you\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T14:28:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:28:52","slug":"waiting-times-in-mental-health-institutions-are-increasing-how-does-that-affect-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.u-center.nl\/en\/waiting-times-in-mental-health-institutions-are-increasing-how-does-that-affect-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Waiting times in mental health institutions are increasing, how does that affect you?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

What do long waits do to your mental health?<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Why are wait times increasing in mental health institutions?<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

When is waiting no longer justified?<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

How do wait times in mental health institutions affect your recovery?<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n

An integrated approach within U-center reduces long waiting times.<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Frequently asked questions about waiting times in mental health institutions<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n
<\/div>\n\n

Waiting times for mental health institutions have risen again by 2025. On average, you now wait 24 weeks to start treatment. For specialized mental health care, this can go up to 32 weeks. That means almost six months pass before you are actually offered help. <\/p>\n\n

Why do you often feel worse rather than more stable during this period? Because mental illness<\/a> has no pause button. When you need help with depression<\/a>, anxiety<\/a>, personality disorder<\/a>, addiction<\/a> or multiple diagnoses<\/a>, the process in your head continues. Doubts increase, your energy decreases, and uncertainty about when help will start can add to your stress. <\/p>\n\n

In October 2025, more than 100,000 people were waiting for mental health care. Almost half waited longer than the agreed maximum waiting time of 14 weeks. Those are the numbers. But behind those numbers is you. And your symptoms don’t pause while you wait. <\/p>\n\n

\"waiting<\/figure>\n\n

What do long waits do to your mental health?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Waiting times mental health institutions mean waiting for psychological help. This is different from waiting for a medical checkup or surgery. You are not in a stable situation. You are seeking help because you feel you are stuck, despite everything you have already tried. Data from the Trimbos Institute<\/a> <\/a>show that long-term untreated mental health symptoms increase the likelihood of a chronic course. We know that early intervention increases the chances of sustained recovery. According to the RIVM <\/a>, the demand for mental health care is growing faster than the supply. This means that care that is most effective, starting treatment “on time,” is simply not available to many people. Specifically, this means that many people have to function for months with symptoms that actually require treatment. During that time, gloom, anxiety or exhaustion may worsen. Sometimes you lose faith in recovery. Sometimes you begin to doubt whether your request for help is serious enough. <\/p>\n\n

According to the NHG Standard on Depression<\/a> and the multidisciplinary mental health care guidelines<\/a>, timely treatment is essential to prevent exacerbation and relapse. Yet the so-called Treek norms<\/a> of fourteen weeks are often exceeded in practice. Waiting should never mean that in the meantime your symptoms worsen and your problems become more complex, reducing your motivation and hope. It turns out that sometimes more than one diagnosis is at play during a period of waiting. Depression<\/a>, trauma<\/a>, anxiety<\/a>, addiction<\/a> or personality factors<\/a> can reinforce each other. Within the GGZ we call this comorbidity<\/a>. When symptoms are intertwined, an integrated approach, which U-center strongly supports, is often more effective than separate courses of treatment. But in practice, we often see that people are on the waiting list to treat the addiction first and then end up on a waiting list again for the trauma, for example. Because of the long wait times, people can fall back into addiction. <\/p>\n\n

Why are waiting times in mental health institutions increasing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Pressure on mental health services has increased dramatically in recent years. More people are seeking help for depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction and personality problems. At the same time, specialty care is intensive and requires experienced practitioners. <\/p>\n\n

Especially within specialist care, waiting times in mental health institutions are increasing. People with complex and multiple problems, for example when depression is combined with trauma, or addiction combined with personality factors, wait the longest on average. <\/p>\n\n

The Dutch Healthcare Authority <\/a> speaks of shared responsibility between healthcare providers, health insurers and municipalities. In system terms, that’s true. But as you wait, you experience mostly uncertainty. Are you on the right list? Will you soon receive appropriate care? What if your symptoms worsen? <\/p>\n\n

That uncertainty weighs more heavily than is often realized.<\/p>\n\n

When is waiting no longer justified?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

Not every wait is immediately harmful. But there are signs where it is important not to remain passive. When you notice that your functioning continues to deteriorate, feelings of hopelessness increase or your daily world becomes smaller and smaller, it is essential to take it seriously. The World Health Organization (WHO)<\/a> emphasizes that untreated depressive symptoms increase the risk of long-term functional decline. <\/p>\n\n

Waiting should never mean carrying it alone.<\/p>\n\n

You can ask your health insurer about waiting list mediation. Still, the average waiting time within many mental health institutions remains around 24 weeks or longer, and for specialty care even toward 32 weeks. <\/p>\n\n

At U-center<\/strong>, the waiting time is usually between 10 and 12 weeks. That difference can be considerable when you notice that your symptoms are increasing or that your functioning continues to decline. In such a situation, it is important not only to see where you can go, but also when and with what approach. If you find that your symptoms are complex, have been around for a long time or that previous treatments have not helped enough, a different approach may be needed. <\/p>\n\n

\"long-waiting<\/figure>\n\n

How do wait times in mental health institutions affect your recovery?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

The key question is not just how long you have to wait, but what that wait time is doing to you.Are you stuck in the same patterns?Are your symptoms getting more severe?Are you losing faith in recovery?<\/p>\n\n

For some people, regular care is enough once treatment begins. For others, it turns out there is more at play than one diagnosis. Depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction or personality factors can reinforce each other. Within the mental health field, this is called comorbidity <\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

When complaints are intertwined, an integrated approach is often more effective than separate courses of treatment side by side. This is what U-center<\/strong> specializes in. <\/p>\n\n

Integrated approach within U-center reduces long wait times<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

At U-center<\/strong>, the focus is not one label, but the totality of factors contributing to your symptoms. It looks at stress load, underlying patterns, trauma, coping strategies and related multiple diagnoses.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n

During an intensive six-week inpatient treatment <\/a> in Epen<\/strong>, you are given the space to distance yourself from your daily environment and work focused on recovery. Not fragmented, but integrated. For people who get stuck in regular treatment programs or whose symptoms worsen while waiting, this can be an appropriate next step. <\/p>\n\n

You don’t have to wait until everything completely escalates before you decide to seek care.<\/p>\n\n

Feel free to contact us to discuss your options<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n

You can also attend our information evening<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Frequently asked questions about waiting times in mental health institutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

How long are wait times in mental health institutions on average?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

In 2025, the average waiting time is about 24 weeks. For specialized mental health care, this can reach 32 weeks. U-center uses 10 to 12 weeks. <\/p>\n\n

What is the maximum waiting time according to the Treek standard?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

The Treek standard states that you must start treatment within fourteen weeks. In practice, this standard is regularly exceeded. <\/p>\n\n

Do symptoms get worse while waiting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

This varies from person to person, but with depression and complex problems, symptoms may increase without treatment.<\/p>\n\n

Can my health insurance company help with long wait times?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Yes. Through waiting list mediation, your health insurance company can look for alternative providers with shorter waiting times. <\/p>\n\n

When is specialty mental health care appropriate?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

When symptoms are prolonged, multiple diagnoses are related, or previous treatments have been ineffective, specialized and integrated treatment may be appropriate.<\/p>\n\n

Keep waiting or make a conscious move?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

If you find that waiting is making your symptoms worse or that previous treatments have not had sufficient effect, it is important to take that seriously. Specialist treatment is not a last resort, but a conscious choice for recovery. <\/p>\n\n

At U-center<\/strong>, we explore with you whether an intensive, integrated approach is appropriate. You don’t have to keep hoping the waiting period will pass by itself while you stand still. Sometimes recovery begins the moment you decide not to wait any longer. <\/p>\n\n

This article has been approved by the management of U-center<\/p>\n\n

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