Background Mental illness is the most common reason for unemployment in people of working age and this is a growing patient group in Swedish primary care today. A survey by the European Commission showed that 17% of the Swedish population had sought help over the past year for psychiatric problems. These figures are above average for European countries and are increasing. Sweden's costs for mental illness is around MSEK 70,000 annually - an increase of MSEK 20,000 over ten years - and the proportion of sick leave days due to a psychiatric diagnosis is currently 40%. Mental illness reduces quality of life substantially. For example, 18-year-olds with anxiety disorders have increased risk of future marginalization and have a two-fold increase in mortality not only due to suicide but several different death causes, emphasizing the importance of finding effective treatment strategies.