We have informed many times in “Facts” about our general health condition as a society. We also informed about how disturbing the data on the mental health of Poles are. Now it turns out that things are also bad among medical staff.
If you are experiencing emotional problems and would like advice or support, here you will find a list of organizations offering professional help. In a situation of immediate threat to life, call 997 or 112.
– Everything inside me was black – this is how Jagoda Hofman-Hutna, a doctor, describes how she felt before she was diagnosed with depression. She got help and talks about it openly, but for many of her friends it is still not easy.
– This is a topic that remains taboo – admits Jagoda Hofman-Hutna, a doctor and author of a report on the mental health of Polish doctors from the Polki w Medycynie Foundation.
To overcome this shame, but also to find out how far the problem goes, she and her husband conducted research among two thousand doctors.
“Darkest under the lamp”
The answer to the question about suicidal thoughts may be shocking, because such thoughts occur in every third person working in health care.
– It's darkest under the lamp – comments Dr. Wojciech Sołtys, head of the psychiatry department at the Provincial Specialist Hospital in Bytom.
Those who help others on a daily basis often need help themselves. Over seventy percent of people surveyed had a feeling of uselessness and lost interest in what they enjoyed in the last 30 days. And this is a clear signal: depressive disorders are near.
– Even a doctor is blind to his own ailments and equally needs the support of others – points out Wojciech Sołtys.
But not only doctors, also paramedics, physiotherapists and nurses – reminds Jolanta Januszczak, a nurse at the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, a member of the National Trade Union of Nurses and Midwives, who has been working in the profession for 35 years. – Depressive syndromes and depressive states appear, emotional and anxiety states appear, and sleep disorders appear – he mentions. Because the system is overloaded, there are still too few nurses. And the pressure remains at its highest.
One and a half million Poles suffer from depression
Wiktoria Ciechowska, an anesthesiologist, was helped by the support of a psychiatrist during the pandemic. And she helped a friend who was struggling with a similar problem.
– He knew that I was sick and that I had such a problem, so he came to me for advice and help – says Wiktoria Ciechowska, an anesthesiologist. And this is the most important step, because not even half of the medics who needed help sought it. The prescription – according to the national consultant for psychiatry – is to be one.
– Talk about this topic because it amazes us, doesn't it – so many medical staff have suicidal thoughts and the question arises: oh my, who is treating me – says prof. Piotr Gałecki, national consultant in the field of psychiatry, head of the Psychiatry Clinic of the Medical University of Lodz.
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Depression can affect anyone. According to recent data, one and a half million Poles suffer from it. And each of us can seek help both from specialists and from organizations offering specialist help.
Medical staff members affected by the disease can and should also look for it. Due to the additional pressure of responsibility for human life, their risk of disease or addiction increases. Even from alcohol.
– This is a form of “self-treatment” for both male and female doctors – points out Piotr Gałecki. To prevent any treatment, the Ministry of Health announces actions – permanent implementation of a crisis intervention program or psychological support for medical professions – says Jakub Gołąb, spokesman for the Ministry of Health.
But to get help, you first have to apply for it. – We must be emotionally and mentally stable in some way so that we can help others – summarizes Wiktoria Ciechowska.
Main photo source: TVN24