Beata works thanks to medications, so she probably won’t stop taking them until she retires

Men don’t want to talk about it at all. They prefer to drink alcohol than make an appointment. They end up either in the ward or on a sick leave for several months. Women usually report to a psychiatrist themselves when they come to the conclusion that they cannot cope with work, that their family is suffering … According to estimates, up to 7,5 million Poles struggle with mental and behavioral disorders. In 2018, they were the main reason for sickness absence related to hospital stay.

1. The number of Poles receiving psychiatric treatment is growing
2. In 2017, 17,4 percent. all sick leaves were those related to bad mental state
3. Many people initially confuse neurosis and depression with typical somatic disorders
4. Usually, we first go to a cardiologist or gastroenterologist, who will refer us to a psychiatrist
5. Women are more willing to use psychiatric care and psychotherapy. Men try to cope on their own for longer, usually with stimulants
6. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

The fruits of crazy work hygiene and a suicidal lifestyle

– We live too fast and we work to death – explains Dr. Dariusz Wasilewski, specialist psychiatrist, medical director of ALLENORT Therapy Clinics. – Civilization brings with it a number of stress-related disorders, and the corporate culture with its completely insane “hygiene” at work gives rise to states of depression, anxiety, difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep.

Specialists emphasize that the causes of mental disorders are always complex. These include certain predispositions that we inherit, burdensome life experiences, faulty behavioral patterns or the inability to cope with sub-goals. Our defenses help to compensate for the difficulties, but there may come a point where they stop and the problem begins. The most commonly diagnosed disorders are neurotic disorders, i.e. anxiety disorders, anxiety-depressive disorders, panic disorder, agoraphobic anxiety, suppressed anxiety and depression. And often these are not episodes, but diseases that require a long treatment process.

1. Anka does not part with the phone. She takes it to the bathroom, puts it under the pillow

– Patients often identify neurotic symptoms as somatic complaints – says Dr. Katarzyna Pycio from the Psyche Medical Center in Łódź. – They visit doctors of other specialties, e.g. cardiologists because they have palpitations and shortness of breath, or to neurologists because they complain of dizziness, soft arms or legs. They also go to gastroenterologists due to disturbing symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract. They circulate from one specialist to another. Often people after a panic attack call an ambulance and end up in emergency rooms. Fortunately, they are referred by other doctors to a psychiatrist faster and faster.

According to the ZUS data for 2018, mental and behavioral disorders were the fifth cause of inability to work after: pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, respiratory diseases, diseases of the bone and joint system, muscles and connective tissue, as well as injuries and poisoning. In 2019, the situation did not change.

In 2017, ZUS spokesman, Wojciech Andrusiewicz, informed that 17,4 percent. of all layoffs were those related to poor mental state, and their number has clearly increased in recent years.

When asked when we should start to worry about our mental health, Dr. Wasilewski replies:

– If we notice prolonged depression, tension, anxiety, anxiety, irritability, a tendency to irritation and outbursts of anger, as well as problems with sleep, concentration or constant fatigue. A single occurrence of these symptoms does not mean anything, but if the symptoms persist but last for, say, two weeks every day, they may be a warning signal.

I can’t imagine stopping my medication

Most patients only tell psychotherapists about their problems. However, some believe that the problem of the mental health of Poles requires wider publicity and are willing to share their own experiences.

– I have no qualms, I will tell you what I went through – begins Beata, a Warsaw lawyer in her forties diagnosed with depression. “At the new company, my five closest associates are on anti-depressants. My guess is that in the previous one, every second person treated depression or anxiety. It was a large, very famous law firm. You worked hard 24 hours a day, came home late, bringing work with you.

Depression is not the flu, it develops slowly and is slowly recovering from it. How did it come about? Beata says that at some point her work became a never-ending wave of stress that she even finds it hard to pin down. She felt attacked from everywhere, the bosses and clients kept reminding me that she missed something, did not see something, did not know something. And yet you have to do this or that for yesterday … And help out of nowhere, no one can be counted on. Colleagues, absorbed in their tasks, do not even have time to ask if everything is alright.

“You will be surprised, but my gynecologist was the first to discover that something was happening to me,” he says. – I went to a checkup, showed the blood test results. I was anemic. He looked at me, asked a few questions and advised me to make an appointment with a psychiatrist.

Beata realized she had a problem when she went to the store to get yogurt. She stood for half an hour staring at the merchandise on the shelf, unable to decide what to choose. She functioned in an alternate universe where all thoughts constantly revolve around work. The psychiatrist put together an inability to concentrate, an overwhelming fear combined with fits of silent crying and a lack of will to live, and ordered medication, then psychotherapy. Beata changed her job to one in which she does not feel used. He has been taking drugs for over four years and claims that he will not take them until retirement. During psychotherapy, he learns to say no. He claims he can do it now, although when he has a busy schedule, fear is reborn. Phone rings cause stress, because maybe they are ringing with complaints that she missed something again.

1. What does remote work do with the body and mind?

– I was lucky anyway, a younger friend from another department in an acute condition went to a psychiatric ward. She spent a year there. She did not return to work anymore. He’s under forty, and he’s on a pension. For two years, the family isolated her from people associated with the law firm so that they would not bring back bad memories. We met recently. I remembered her as a pretty young woman, and I saw an old lady.

Magister X has not been in the office for a year. One day at work where he lost himself, he just didn’t show up. However, he was unable to make a call himself telling him that he would not come. His wife did it. He is a pediatrician by profession and she sent him to a psychiatrist. And now he is very supportive. In X. he became addicted – mainly to alcohol. Everyone in his corporation was drinking. X. counted down the days to Friday every week, when he would be able to drink properly. Each glass was a relief, as well as a beer or a drink at bedtime. If you could fall asleep, the night was a respite. When I opened my eyes, my fear returned and I knew that there was another day in the company ahead of him.

According to ZUS data, for the first four months of 2019, the highest percentage – 28,6 percent. – days of sickness absence were recorded in the age group between 30 and 39 years of age. The longest average hospital stay in 2018 was 17,46 days and was associated with mental and behavioral disorders.

Women with their torments go to the doctor

The statistics also show that women take advantage of psychiatric leaves more often – 56%.

– My patients are mostly patients – says Dr. Dariusz Wasilewski. – Women are more likely to be depressed or have anxiety disorders, but also show greater wisdom than men. If they have a problem, they go to the doctor. Men usually postpone the thought of making an appointment. They run away into alcohol or have a row behind the wheel. The macho complex still lingers.

“Because women, women are smarter, unfortunately” – Dr. Wasilewski quotes the words of the song and immediately explains: women have a number of responsibilities in life, because not only work, but also home, children, so they approach many things more rationally. They must overcome difficulties that prevent them from functioning properly. It is such a feminine life wisdom.

– Gentlemen wait longer to visit a psychiatrist – says Dr. Katarzyna Pycio. – Often, when they come to my office, they are more stressed than women. They want to be tough, it is difficult for them to confront their weaknesses, accept the fact that they may also be affected by emotional problems. Many times at the beginning of the visit, I hear that they are coming because my wife has sent them. And when I ask for improvement during therapy, they reply that my wife said it was much better. It is an expression of a certain helplessness, but also a sign of clear support from the spouse. I don’t usually hear similar arguments from women. They are easier to talk about their emotions.

1. We usually dream of peace. Now we have it in abundance and we feel bad

In 2018, mental and behavioral disorders caused 19 million 425 thousand days of absence from work. The exemptions issued to women accounted for 65,7 percent. and took the fifth place in terms of duration after: maternity care due to pregnancy, acute upper respiratory tract infection, disorders of the spinal roots and nerve plexuses, bleeding in early pregnancy. The depressive episode was the cause of 3 million 676 thousand. days of absenteeism (68,4% of the dismissals were given to women). Another reason for the absence from work is recurrent depressive disorders (1 days of absenteeism; 981% of the sick were women).

The longest absence of men was due to:

1. reaction to severe stress and adaptation disorders – 1 million 995 thousand days,
2. depressive episode – 1 million 161 thousand,
3. anxiety disorders – 913 thousand days. 
4. mental and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol use – 863 days. 

The longest absence of women was due to:

1. in response to severe stress and adaptation disorders – 3 million 828 thousand days
2. depressive episode – 2 million 513 thousand days
3. anxiety disorders – 1 million 853 thousand days
4. recurrent depressive disorders – 1 million 340 thousand days.

– Each diagnosis has its own prognosis – explains Dr. Wasilewski. – There are recurrent and non-recurring diseases. However, if appropriate treatment is undertaken, lifestyle changes, psychotherapy begins, there is a good chance that mental disorders will only be an episode. Recently, I had a patient in a senior management position who felt that everything in the company had to be handled by herself. So she worked several hours a day. I prescribed her medications, referred her to psychotherapy, but most of all I convinced her to devote more time to herself. And she actually began to distribute responsibilities to employees and leave home earlier. It was enough, she became a different man. Paradoxically, the disease was a positive factor for her, because it showed that there is life outside of work and that you also need to take care of yourself. At the moment the patient is in great shape and I don’t think we will meet again in the office.

Taking care of mental hygiene will save you stress and expenses

The number of L4 prints issued in 2018 for mental and behavioral disorders amounted to a total of 1, including 102 for women. The longest absences were recorded in Mazowieckie and Wielkopolskie voivodships. In terms of percentage, compared to other diseases, the greatest number of psychiatric leaves was recorded in the voivodship Greater Poland.

Are we able to prevent it? Dr. Katarzyna Pycio suggests: – Let’s take care of building relationships. Close family relationships and friendships are an important area of ​​support for every human being. Let us keep our distance from frequent challenges and the need to achieve success, including failures and failures. They will all be ours. When things go wrong, we stumble, think about why, then shake off and move on.

Doctors complain that many years of neglect in the field of Polish psychiatry are now taking revenge on patients. When a patient is not in hospital, he has to wait a long queue to receive psychotherapist’s care under the National Health Fund. The alternative is, of course, to cover the costs of the session out of pocket, but for the treatment to be effective, visits to the therapist must be regular. When patients find out how much it costs, they often drop out of therapy. The same happens in the case of expensive and non-refundable drugs. While chronically ill patients usually receive paid care from the state budget, short-term patients in terms of psychotherapy are mainly dependent on their own finances.

The editorial board recommends:

1. How to choose the right psychiatrist?
2. Workaholism and psychotherapy – how to deal with work addiction?
3. Relax, it’s just a neurosis

Have you been affected by depression, neurosis or other mental problems? Have you used the help of a psychiatrist? Share your story with us! Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more

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