The mental condition of Poles is not good; we are sad or angry every day, we look pessimistic about the future. This is due to, inter alia, out of a sense of instability and fear of what awaits us – says psychiatrist prof. Janusz Heitzman.
“This problem is not limited to people who suffer from depression,” said the president of the Polish Psychiatric Association at the conference on the occasion of the National Day for Combating Depression on February 23. It was organized by the Association Active Against Depression.
As the expert emphasized, Poles are now much more susceptible to any negative environmental and social influences, both those resulting from random events, such as the Smolensk catastrophe, and those related to the general economic situation.
In the opinion of prof. Heitzman, this is partly due to the fact that as a nation we constantly strive to catch up with the countries of Western Europe. “We are one of the longest working nations in Europe. Hardly any of us work eight hours a day, go home and rest; hardly anyone has a day off on weekends, because they usually earn extra money. On the other hand, there is high unemployment, which affects the most young people, in productive age, between the ages of 25 and 35 ”- explained the psychiatrist.
In his opinion, this contributes to the disappearance of optimism and positive thinking about the future. “A person loses the sense of competence and control over his life, feels under some pressure, is not satisfied with what he is doing, he cannot develop” – said the expert.
That is why Poles are angry or sad every day, and if they enjoy it, they are usually under the influence of alcohol; and young people between 12 and 16 years of age – often under the influence of intoxicants, mainly marijuana – he explained. Aggression or sadness arises from fear for the future: for pensions, health, access to medical care.
“In this situation, difficult socio-political events – discussions about ACTA, extending the retirement age, problems resulting from the new reimbursement act – do not come across refreshed people who want to think positively about their old age, but tired, sad people who find it difficult to deal with some actions and efforts for the future, ”said the psychiatrist.
As assessed by prof. Heitzman, in these discussions politicians are not guided enough by the will to understand the human psyche and its needs. But it is also not guided by this – he noted – society, as evidenced by the reactions to the death of a six-month-old child in Sosnowiec: tendencies towards accountability, public lynching.
The psychiatrist noted that the problem of the poor mental condition of Poles also negatively affects the innovativeness of the nation. “We are not less capable than others, but we have less faith in research or discovery success,” he explained. – It is necessary to change the perception of people’s life satisfaction, what they do and how they develop in the professional, social and personal fields. Professional and creative success is attributed to people who are free from pressure, free from anxiety and depression. “
Prof. Heitzman recalled that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression ranks fourth among the most serious health problems today. According to the organization’s forecasts, the problem of depression in the world will continue to grow. WHO predicts that in 2020 it will be the second most severe disease, after ischemic heart disease, also in the economic sense.
It is related, inter alia, with industrialization, globalization, accelerated civilization development – mentioned prof. Heitzman. “The development of computer techniques does provide technical support, but not emotional, it will not show sympathy, for example, will not show solidarity with us in suffering” – explained the expert.