Michael Landgrebe has been the chief physician at the kbo-Lech-Mangfall-Klinik in Agatharied since 2014.
On August 1st, the professor also took over the post of medical director of the kbo-Lech-Mangfall clinics.
He is responsible for four locations with a total of 282 fully inpatient beds and 90 day clinic places.
In an interview with our newspaper, he describes the challenge that Agatharied and the other clinics are facing: Corona stirs up problems in the people he wants to help with.
But he is fighting against a stigma and staff shortage.
Professor Landgrebe, Corona is driving the number of mental illnesses. Also in the district?
It will definitely be more.
For many weeks we have been experiencing a high demand with all kinds of psychiatric illnesses.
This is due to the pandemic.
A wave sloshes towards us.
How big is the wave?
That also depends on how long Corona will be with us.
The workload is already pushing us to the limit.
Last week we had ten emergency rooms in one night.
All people with severe crises.
Otherwise it's zero to four.
How is the wave created? Is Long Covid the Cause?
There are currently three causes: Some people have not dared to seek treatment for a long time because of Covid, or their treatments have been postponed.
You are coming back now.
For others, the stresses and strains of the crisis - isolation, insecurity, job fears - have intensified things that were previously hidden.
Long Covid is the third factor, although it is not yet reflected in the clinic.
These patients are more likely to be treated on an outpatient basis.
How do you recognize Long Covid in everyday life?
The symptoms of Long Covid - listlessness, exhaustion, insomnia - are similar to depression.
But the causes are different.
This makes the diagnosis difficult for people who have already had Corona: Their exhaustion can have mental causes or physical ones such as a lung problem.
It would be very bad if someone had a virus-related illness to say: "It's only in the head."
What advice do you give to people who feel dull for a long time after Corona?
I advise first having a thorough physical examination with an internist or neurologist.
If you can't find anything there, if your lungs and heart are okay, it could be a mental illness.
Often it is a mixture of both.
Accurate diagnosis is important.
How do you help with the spiritual causes?
To this day we do not know what is behind Long Covid.
The virus may trigger changes such as inflammation in the brain, possibly stress and fear from the infection.
We are currently treating patients symptom-oriented: If someone suffers from insomnia, we treat the insomnia.
We sure can, and it makes people feel better.
Despite the onslaught of all clinical pictures: Are some not looking for help because they fear the stigma?
Yes.
Many think that if you have mental health problems you just have to pull yourself together.
Corona is a life-threatening disease.
There are previously very healthy people who are out of breath after an illness after walking 200 meters.
Nobody, regardless of whether they had Covid or not, should be ashamed if this concerns them.
And nobody has to be alone with it.
What can people do themselves to cope with these stresses?
I recommend reducing the corona information from time to time.
It helps to have a carefree summer.
Of course, pay attention to the hygiene and get vaccinated, but also enjoy the freedom, do not be in the fearful expectation: "Oh God, the fourth wave is coming." I can go to the restaurant, to the cinema.
I should use that.
Is it easier for me here than in the city?
I can get out into nature more easily.
Sport is also good for the psyche.
We experience, especially in older people, that isolation causes them to degrade mentally and physically.
If you can, you should avoid doing this yourself, i.e. maintain movement and contacts.
It's easier in the country because I don't have to take the subway to do it.
On the other hand, it feels like half of Germany is here at the moment.
That brings stress.
There are advantages and disadvantages.
Can you withstand the wave lapping at you? Skilled workers are hard to find.
It's true: we need well-trained staff, but that's rare.
Because of the language barrier, we can only make limited use of foreign doctors and nurses.
We help with words.
Even good foreign speakers quickly reach their limits.
In the case of nurses, there is also the fact that our area is quite expensive.
Affordable staff housing is definitely an issue.
How are you going to cope with the wave then?
By highlighting the advantages of the profession.
Nursing staff can also work very independently and psychotherapeutically in psychiatry and psychotherapy, depending on their training.
We are close to the patient, there is no distance through instruments.
Sometimes we accompany patients for life and experience a lot of gratitude.
That is what fascinates me about work: It is very rewarding for empathetic people.
Anyone who comes from the area and shares a cultural level with the patient has practically a job guarantee.
I think these arguments convince young people when choosing a career.
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