Psychiatry

History

2024

The number of psychiatrists in Russia increased by 1.6% and reached 46.1 million

The number of psychiatric appointments in Russia increased by 1.6% in 2024 and reached 46.1 million after a two-year period of decline in the indicator. This was the first increase since 2021, when the number of visits to specialists was 45.7 million. This is evidenced by the data of the analytical company BusinesStat, released in August 2025.

The dynamics of psychiatric techniques showed uneven development over a five-year period. In 2020, 43.2 million visits to psychiatrists were recorded, which became the base level for subsequent analysis.

The largest increase was observed in 2021, when the number of admissions increased by 8.1% to 45.7 million. This is the maximum value for the entire period analyzed, reflecting the recovery of routine health care after pandemic period restrictions.

In 2022, the indicator decreased by 2.7% to 45.4 million receptions. A similar value remained in 2023 with a slight decrease of 0.1%, which in fact meant the stagnation of the psychiatric services market.

The total growth for the period 2020-2024 was 7%, which corresponds to an increase from 43.2 million to 46.1 million psychiatric appointments. The average annual growth rate over the five-year period was at 1.4%.

Improving the availability of care in public institutions includes the introduction of medical and psychological support rooms in primary health care. This brings specialized care closer to patients at the polyclinic level.

Expanding the commercial sector of the mental health services market provides alternative care opportunities for patients. Private clinics and health centers are increasing the overall capacity of the mental health services market.

Among the leading enterprises of the industry stand out:

• Orthointegration LLC;
• Korsakov Medical Center LLC;
• OOO "Hospitalnaya 10";
• Rescue Northern Capital LLC;
• Doctor Sun LLC.

These organizations form a competitive environment in the private mental health services segment.^[1]

Nizhny Novgorod psychiatrist who issued a certificate of the absence of diseases to shoot 6 people received a real term

In October 2024, it became known that the Sovetsky District Court of Nizhny Novgorod sentenced psychiatrist Vitaly Baluev to six months in a penal colony in a negligence case that resulted in the death of three people. In 2020, he issued a certificate for receiving weapons to Daniil Monakhov, who later staged a mass shooting in the village of Bolsheorlovskoye. Read more here.

Russian psychiatrists began to treat transsexualism

In January 2024, the Russian Society of Psychiatrists published clinical recommendations (KR) for the treatment of sexual identification disorder, transgender people (the LGBT movement is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, activities are prohibited) are recommended to help reconcile with the congenital sex. Read more here.

1938

A crazy chair in a Dutch psychiatric hospital, 1938. It was used to pacify the most violent and uncontrolled patients.

Notes