Existential fears, fear of infection or pressure in the home office were and are factors in the Corona crisis that are now leading to an increase in depression, anxiety or sleep disorders.
Bad Tölz
- Around one and a half years have passed since a corona lockdown was first imposed on Germany and most people's lives turned upside down.
After the initial paralysis, it took some time for all social and psychological consequences to become apparent.
Much of it is now visible in the Medical Care Center (MVZ) on Flinthöhe, the only seat of a psychiatric practice in Bad Tölz.
Here, the need for treatments has "increased significantly", as the psychiatrist Dr.
Irmela Hauber reports.
More and more teachers are also looking for help in the psychiatric practice in Bad Tölz
Pressure, tension, uncertainty in times of the pandemic: the team of doctors in the Tölzer “Schnecke” is meanwhile faced with the consequences many times over.
"Especially restaurateurs and self-employed people in retail have had to endure a lot of uncertainty," says Hauber.
“You have put in a massive effort to meet all the requirements, for example.
And then they were repeatedly disappointed and remained dependent on which new rules applied. "
The psychiatrist also said that 450-euro workers were among those who suffered economically from the pandemic.
Their jobs were often the first to drop out.
“They went through existential fears in many cases.” Not all, but some of those affected now appear in the practice as patients - for example with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety or sleep disorders.
Diagnosis of "home office depression"
Irmela Hauber has observed that teachers are also increasingly among those seeking help.
The greatly increased workload is reflected in them, but also the responsibility they have at school.
Stress factors are constantly changing teaching models and rules that they also have to enforce with the students.
"The unplannability is one of the burdens that lead to exhaustion", says her colleague Prof. Michael Landgrebe, who is authorized signatory at the MVZ and treats there by private doctor.
“And don't forget the exposure risk,” he adds.
Teachers would have to fear that they would be exposed to an increased risk of infection in the classroom.
“That also does something to you,” says Landgrebe.
Even people whose work was relocated to the home office did not necessarily get through the crisis psychologically, according to the doctors.
According to Hauber, one factor here is that, in many cases, there are no short breaks at home to take a breath, direct exchange with colleagues and social contacts.
In the home office, the lack of demarcation between professional and private life is problematic, says Landgrebe.
Waiting time of three to five weeks at the psychiatrist in Bad Tölz
Not for nothing, adds Nikolaus Schrenk, that the home office was once introduced in the USA to increase the productivity of employees.
So what sounds relaxed in reality often means stress and work “without a feedback culture and in a vacuum”.
Schrenk, managing director of the MVZ carrier kbo-Lech-Mangfall-Kliniken gGmbH, speaks of a "home office depression".
However, Irmela Hauber assures: “We are currently able to meet the increased psychiatric needs in the district.” Anyone who is currently asking for an appointment can expect a waiting period of three to five weeks.
"Of course that depends on how acute the situation is."
In the psychiatric practice, the experts then clarify whether the person concerned needs pharmacological and / or psychotherapeutic treatment.
With the latter option, however, the next problem arises: "Psychotherapists often have a waiting period of six months," says Hauber.
The overload of child and adolescent psychotherapists is even more extreme.
One thing is certain: "There is not enough supply in this area."
Corona opened doors for apps and video consultation hours
Can the experts of the Corona crisis also get anything positive out of it? Not for the psyche of people. However, one or the other door has opened with the treatment options. As in many areas, the buzzword is digitization. Since January 1st, as a “possibility to supplement the treatment”, according to Schrenk, it has been possible to prescribe health apps for smartphones as a health insurance benefit. One example is the sleep disorder app "Somnio", which aims to "break through the carousel of thought". The cash reimbursement of video consultation hours is now regulated thanks to Corona - even if there is only a temporary regulation at the moment. Although personal human contact counts a lot, especially in the psychiatric field, it is "a good addition and in some cases works surprisingly well",says Irmela Hauber.
Unlike at the beginning of the pandemic, patients no longer shy away from visiting the practice.
"Here we have safe hygiene concepts," emphasizes the psychiatrist.
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