Word has clearly gotten out now. What used to be a Geheimtipp (insiders’ tip) has now become a full-fledged and nationally recognized Volkssport (national sport): Early retirement due to mental illness.
Up some 6,000 from the previous year, more and more Germans (71,000) are now being “forced” to retire early each and every year because they suffer from things like anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, multiple generalized anxiety disorder, mega ultra super mulitple generalized really really bad anxiety disorder and other such imaginary diseases.
In fact, being mental is now the number one main excuse used to have to go into “involuntary retirement” in Germany, with the average age of these hapless victims being 48, by the way.
Fear industry profiteers, I mean experts, are happy to report that the increased number of diagnosed cases is due to a greater willingness of sufferers to openly admit their problems, although none of these experts are able or willing to explain where this sudden willingness comes from.
Über das Thema werde jetzt “offener geredet und deshalb diagnostizieren Ärzte jetzt eher psychische Ursachen von Leiden.”
Observing Hermann 
I hate to go with the crowd so I’m going to try the chronic-fatigue-and-dizziness-coupled-with-kreislaufstörung path. That always gets them.
Oh yeah. That Kreislaufstörung number works wonders!
Ooh! lumbago!
Germany does not have a monopoly on this subject. Talk radio calls them “SSI Crazy Checks.” I have an ex-daughter-in-law who is getting SSDI for being bi polar. She has brought two more children into the world since splitting with our son two years ago. Each child (3) gets a SS check on top of her SSDI check, because “their mother is disabled.” Also, Fox did a story about a town in Puerto Rico, where 75% of the residents are either collecting SSI or SSDI.
This couldn’t all be, gulp, the dreaded DMS (disease mongering syndrome), could it?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-disease-mongering.htm
Udo: Suddenly, I feel anxious, boss….
Udo’s boss: No you don’t!