The demand for the care of psychologists and psychiatrists has been steadily increasing since the onset of the pandemic. Data from the Health Insurance Fund (TU Zdrowie) show that since the beginning of 2021, the number of sessions in this field has increased more than threefold. The alarming data from the Social Security Institute (ZUS), reports that nearly 1.3 million sick leaves due to mental health issues were granted last year alone, accounting for 10% of all work absences[1]. According to specialists, employers can play a significant role in improving the health of their employees by implementing training programs on how to deal with stress and creating a friendly work environment.
The mental health state of Poles is not in the best condition – warn specialists, and this is confirmed by statistics. The rate of suicides among Polish men is significantly higher than the average rate in European Union countries[2]. Mood disorders among our compatriots have been noticeable since the pandemic. A study by the National Institute of Public Health[3] shows that we have suffered more mentally than physically during this time. 14% of men and 22% of women aged 20-39 declared so. Hence, the longer queues to specialists.
Teresa Domańska, Director of Risk Assessment at TU Zdrowie, states, “The demand for consultations with psychologists and psychiatrists has been soaring since the beginning of the pandemic. Although the increase was small in the first half of 2020, due to restricted access to doctors, from 2021 to today, the number of sessions that the insured in TU Zdrowie have used increased by more than 200%, with at least 60% of those consulting in subsequent years using these sessions at least 2 times, and 25% at least 4 times.”
The report from the National Institute of Public Health shows that the most common health problems among patients treated in outpatient psychiatric care are consistently nervous disorders related to stress and mood disorders for several years.[4] Today, it’s not the fear of infection that we struggle with, but the stress caused by the challenging economic and geopolitical situation, as well as fears brought in from work.
Edyta Jacyna, Medical Consultant at TU Zdrowie, says, “The situation is not improved by the fact that many people are still working remotely, which was identified as the biggest inconvenience during the pandemic. Different estimates suggest that 25 – 35% of the employed society works in a hybrid mode or entirely remotely. This, in turn, in addition to the lack of interaction with the group, blurs the boundary between home and professional duties. Such people often work without breaks, switching from meeting to meeting or sitting at the computer longer than they would in the office.”
Data from a survey by InterviewMe shows that almost half of Poles feel fears related to professional life. We are most afraid of making a mistake (61%), work overload (40%), being disliked by colleagues (39%), and being fired (35%).[5]
Edyta Jacyna adds, “Solutions that the employer can implement in this situation include supporting the physical activities of employees, which helps cope with stress. Hence, funding sports activities and encouraging, for example, company runs. Another tool is training for employees on how to deal with stress. Managers are trained to recognize the symptoms of mental disorders and professional burnout. Many employees declare that they are afraid to talk to their colleagues and superiors about emotional problems.”[5]
Some companies already see the need to take care of the mental well-being of employees, emphasizing the right balance between professional and private life. Managers see that heavy stress, phobias, and fears impair the efficiency of employees, and they are the cause of absences.
Data from the Social Security Institute indicate that nearly 1.3 million sick leaves were granted last year due to mental health problems, which resulted in 23.8 million days of sick absence. That’s 10% of all absences due to temporary incapacity for work. Patients were most often incapacitated due to reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders.[6]
In emphasizing the mental health condition of Poles, Edyta Jacyna highlights, “You also have to look at psychosomatic diseases, which are sometimes directly related to the mental state. The problem is that sick people do not always want to reconcile the fact that a specific disease may be the result of stress and look for a solution to the problem from other specialists. This includes arterial hypertension, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or diabetes. Fortunately, medical specialists, alongside diagnosing individual diseases, increasingly ask patients about their mental state and encourage them to seek help from psychologists or psychiatrists.”[6]
[1] https://www.zus.pl/-/in-2022-almost-1-3-million-sick-leave-due-to-mental-disorders-were-issued
[2] https://www.pzh.gov.pl/report-health-situation-of-the-population-of-poland-and-its-conditionings/
[3] NIZP PZH – PIB Study, 2022
[4] https://www.pzh.gov.pl/report-health-situation-of-the-population-of-poland-and-its-conditionings/
[5] Fear of Fear – our fears and phobias at work [InterviewMe Study] https://interviewme.pl/
[6] In 2022, nearly 1.3 million sick leaves due to mental disorders were issued – ZUS
