Psychiatrist debunks myths about depression. “The Great Civilization Experiment”
The World Health Organization estimates that there are 350 million people worldwide living with depression. What is a modern patient like who suffers from it? This question is answered by Joanna Adamiak, a doctor, specialist in psychiatry, intensively involved in outpatient treatment since 2014, member of the Polish Psychiatric Association.
Joanna Biegaj, “Wprost”: In one of your posts on Instagram, you described a modern patient with depression as follows: “He is often an active person who works a lot, sleeps little, works under time pressure, and is exposed to severe civilization stress“. How does the pace of modern life influence the development of depressive disorders?
Bow. Joanna Adamiak: This rate may significantly influence the development of depressive disorders for several interrelated reasons. Firstly, people are often exposed to constant time pressure, which leads to excessive stress, and the need to constantly act and perform various duties, constant lack of time for rest and regeneration can cause fatigue. Second, modern work culture often promotes long working hours and excessive professional commitment. This can lead to exhaustion, job dissatisfaction and feelings of helplessness. Another factor may be civilization stress. Modern life is often full of stressors, such as social pressure, consumerism, a whole range of media stimuli and, for example, appearance pressure. All this can cause chronic stress, which is a significant risk factor for depressive disorders.
What else contributes to the development of these disorders?
Due to the stress they experience every day, people often suffer from sleep disorders. Insufficient quantity or low quality can negatively impact both mental and physical health. It is worth adding that despite the apparent ease of connection thanks to social media, many people experience social isolation, lack of authentic relationships and emotional support. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and worsen the symptoms of depression. All the factors mentioned above, and probably many, many others, may accumulate and contribute to the development of depressive disorders in people exposed to the fast pace of modern life. Therefore, it is important to promote balance, self-care and conscious management of stress and daily responsibilities to protect mental health.
What is a modern patient with depression like through the eyes of a psychiatrist?
