Half of psychologists say they suffer from depression

New data reveal a worrying reality: psychologists are not immune to depression.

Data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in October 2015 yields worrying figures, as depression affects an estimated 350 million individuals worldwide.. Experts have been warning for some time that depression has become the most common disease of the 21st century, along with stress and anxiety.

This pathology manifests itself with frequent mood swings and serious emotional problems that affect day-to-day life. It is a serious problem that millions of people have to face, because it affects work, family, has a negative effect on interpersonal relationships and, in the worst cases, can lead to suicide.

Psychologists, the most depressed professionals?

We often talk a lot about stress or burnout at work, but depression is also a serious problem in the work environment. In this context, in addition to great discomfort and suffering, depression leads to decreased performance, accidents, as well as to continuous changes in personnel. Some research estimate that between 15% and 30% of professionals will suffer from some kind of mental health problem during their working life, including depressive disorder, depression and depression in the workplace.including depressive disorder.

A study coordinated by Dr. Marta Torres, which was carried out in a health center in Lleida (Spain), analyzed 275 sick leave processes caused by mental health problems during one year. The analysis of the data provided interesting information, stating that depression was responsible for 68 percent of the total number of cases analyzed. Therefore, it is the most frequent cause of sick leave, followed by anxiety (12%), mixed anxious-depressive disorders (9%), altered affectivity (2%) and other associated personality disorders such as substance abuse. According to this study, 55% of patients with depression are over 40 years of age, with the majority of cases being women.

The economic crisis has worsened the situation

Health professionals are the sector that has suffered most from this disorder, and recent research carried out in the United States concluded that doctors and dentists are the groups with the highest rates of depression and suicide. But in Spain, the situation is no more hopeful. The economic crisis in which the country is immersed has worsened in recent years and working conditions have changed for many employees.

Government cutbacks, zero expectations of improvement, low salaries and stress resulting from excessive workloads and little recognition for the work these professionals do, among other factors, contribute to a situation that for many has become desperate, contribute to a situation that for many has become desperate..

Psychologist Arturo Torres, a regular contributor to the magazine Psicología y Mente, explains: "Depression is a serious and real problem that affects different areas of a person's life. It has an impact on work performance, but working conditions also affect the person and can cause problematic situations on an emotional level, as well as depression. This is a particularly sensitive issue for many young people, who view the future with pessimism." In addition, Torres maintains that: "Work is one of the keys to an individual's wellbeing, and given the few expectations of improvement, many young people decide to try their luck abroad, leaving everything behind. They even go to Latin America, something unthinkable a few years ago".

Psychologists also suffer from depression at work

Because of the crisis, we have seen many groups take to the streets in search of work and social improvements. Such as nurses, teachers, jurists, etc. But one of the groups that we have not seen demonstrating and of which there is hardly any talk are psychologists. Have psychologists not suffered from the crisis? According to psychologist Arturo Torrespsychologists find themselves in a dramatic situation.. "In Spain, they have serious difficulties in finding employment, they do not even find precarious work and that is alarming. The vast majority of colleagues in my profession are either unemployed or work in other professions such as the hotel and catering industry," says Torres, who concludes that "psychologists have no future prospects in this country.

But, then, do psychologists also suffer from depression? Yes, they do. A study published in the United Kingdom claims that almost half of psychologists (46%) suffer from this pathology. The survey was conducted by the British Psychological Societyand collects 1,300 testimonies in which the majority of psychologists state that they feel burnout, low morale and high levels of stress. It seems unbelievable that professionals in charge of treating depression are just as depressed as patients.

Do psychologists suffer from stress and burnout?

In addition to the 46% of psychologists who say they are depressed, 49.5% feel they are failures and 70% find their work stressful. These results were presented at the Psychological Therapies in the NHS conference held in London, and the data showed a 12% increase in stress among psychology professionals compared to the previous year, i.e. 2014. On the other hand, bullying cases had doubled from one year to the next.

Professor Jamie Hacker Hughesm, president of the British Psychological Society says: "Occupational health and wellbeing is vitally important and we should be aware of this. I have worked in and managed NHS services and have seen with my own eyes the effect of stress, work overload, inadequate supervision and burnout."

Following these findings, the UK's leading mental health organizations have committed to support a cooperative effort to improve the well-being and resilience of psychologists who provide a key service to society. In collaboration with the New Savoy Partnership and Public Health Englandthe British Psychological Society has produced a Charter for Psychological Staff Wellbeing and Resilience. (Charter for Psychological Staff Wellbeing and Resilience).

Psychologists are people too

After the results of the study carried out in the UK, it will be necessary to know if the same thing happens in Spain, it will be necessary to know if the same thing happens in Spain and, on the other hand, if the same thing happens in other fields of psychology, not only clinical psychology.. There are many branches of psychology, such as organizational psychology or social psychology, in which psychologists also play a great role.

What is important to understand after this survey is that psychologists are people too. They suffer, cry, get stressed and go through difficult stages in their lives. Psychologists do not live on another planet, but are also affected by the environment and the reality that surrounds us. In fact, it is an indispensable requirement for a clinical psychologist to be as objective as possible in his or her work, and that, on many occasions, requires a consultation to find emotional balance. Does it sound strange for a psychologist to go to another psychologist? Well, it shouldn't.