Commentary: Something Seems Lacking in Swedes' Lives

Sweden's Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed has assigned the Public Health Agency the task of defining and developing the concept of "existential health." This initiative, however, has drawn criticism from figures like Magnus Gisslén, a former state epidemiologist, who dismisses the concept as "vague and unscientific." Gisslén advocates for a return to established disease prevention methods such as vaccinations and infection control, emphasizing his expertise as a professor of infectious diseases.

The assignment, given in April 2024 and with a final report in March 2025, asked the agency to define existential health. The agency concluded it involves experiencing meaning in life, connection to oneself, others, and nature, a sense of belonging, security, and being part of something larger. While Gisslén believes this is outside the Public Health Agency's purview, the author acknowledges Forssmed's point that these factors are crucial for improving Swedes' well-being and reducing future healthcare needs, particularly concerning the dramatic rise in psychiatric diagnoses lacking clear scientific justification.

The author posits that people may be seeking diagnoses as a way to articulate and legitimize their suffering in medical terms, especially given the lack of alternative frameworks. Instead of "existential health," the author proposes focusing on "existential suffering" and "existential resilience." This perspective suggests that a lack of meaning in life contributes to what is commonly termed "mental ill-health," disproportionately affecting young and middle-aged women, as evidenced by stress-related diagnoses and high antidepressant prescriptions. The term "existential (un)health" risks encompassing all forms of unhappiness, making true health an unattainable ideal, similar to how "mental ill-health" has expanded its scope.