25.08.2022

DEPRESSION, BURNOUT AND STRESS - BULGARIANS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY ANXIOUS AT WORK

In Bulgaria, between 30 - 35 percent of people associate their psychological discomfort with problems at work. But not only. Along with the Covid-19 pandemic, the lockdowns, the economic crisis, and now the war in Ukraine, the mental health of Bulgarians is significantly deteriorating. "We are definitely observing an increase in neurotic conditions, such as panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders and all kinds of anxiety disorders," Dr. Tsveteslava Galabova, psychiatrist and director of the St. Ivan Rilski State Psychiatric Hospital, told BNR, adding: "This environment of uncertainty , of instability, of ever-increasing demands on the person to cope with difficulties, leads to exhaustion of mental energy, becoming a favorable precondition for the emergence of anxiety disorders. We have very serious problems with the working environment. There are data on how many people work without an employment contract or under conditions that do not correspond to their employment contract. There are also many people who work without insurance, with very long working hours or in an environment that does not meet the requirements for the type of work in question. On the other hand people have become very neurotic, anxious, insecure and this is seriously affecting workplace relationships. And things turn in a vicious circle, which contributes to the increased number of neurotic disorders in our country."

The statistics are startling - 14.5% of Bulgarians suffer from mental disorders at some stage of their lives. Of course, not all deviations are the result of workplace stress. Anxiety, depression, phobias and addiction to alcohol and drugs belong to the group of so-called frequent mental disorders in our country, according to data from the National Center for Public Health and Analysis. The media also contribute to the unhealthy mental environment in society.

"Because the media is constantly spewing bad news - says Dr. Galabova. - It is clear that most people are informed by television, and the television broadcasters themselves admit that bad news "sells", that is why it is in the first place. You can see what they start with our news - murders, serious accidents on the road, problems, thefts ... All this has an extremely bad effect on our mental health."

However, according to Dr. Galabova, the human psyche "does not break from yesterday to today". Disorders appear gradually over time, they are the result of an accumulation of problems. For a long time, a person manages to suppress them, but at some point something breaks and the first symptoms appear, such as sweating, rapid breathing, increased blood pressure, etc. Then it is good for each of us to seek help from a specialist.

Unfortunately, mental health is still a taboo topic in Bulgaria. Usually the Bulgarian refuses to admit that he needs help in such situations. The problem is also financial. Because the health fund does not cover the costs of a psychotherapist. Ultimately, anxiety states remain untreated and can lead to serious consequences.