Romy Straßenburg

Why are men two or even three times less likely than women to be diagnosed with depression? Why are the figures reversed between the sexes in suicide statistics—some 47,000 people in Europe each year, more than three-quarters of whom are men? In men, the signs may differ from those generally identified with depression: anger rather than sadness, hyperactivity (at work or in sports) rather than asthenia, antisocial or addictive behavior, greater difficulty in asking for help due to modesty or shame, etc. But whatever form it takes, mental suffering is still often overlooked by those affected, misdiagnosed by many practitioners, and therefore generally underestimated.

The termination of the INF Treaty between the USA and Russia shows how little mutual trust there is between the world powers today. Thanks to this agreement, short- and medium-range nuclear missiles were disarmed and banned at the end of the 1980s. The political situation has worsened again. Even Germany is discussing the development of its own nuclear weapons. Is a new Cold War looming?