Overview
- The 2025 Deutschland-Barometer Depression surveyed 5,196 adults and 103 adolescents across Germany in September.
- Among those diagnosed, 78% searched the internet for information on depression, with search engines the leading starting point for more than 70% of respondents.
- Adolescents aged 16–17 rely heavily on newer channels, with 46% using AI chatbots and 39% using social media for mental-health information, far more than adults.
- Social platforms show mixed effects, with 17% of affected users motivated to seek help but many feeling worse and frequently encountering suicide-related content, including 26% seeing life-weary posts and 15% seeing announcements or attempts.
- About two-thirds of people with depression struggle to judge whether online content is trustworthy or commercially influenced, and the foundation advises seeking guidance from physicians, clinics, universities, insurers or public-health organizations.