Miguel Álvarez de Mon, psychotherapist at the Infanta Leonor Hospital.
The healthcare mental health, following almost two years fighting once morest the consequences of the pandemia of Covid-19, remains one of the main objects of study for experts. In this time, as it collects Uniteco, “they have cried with anguish, fear and frustration while facing a virus regarding which, at first, little or nothing was known”. All this, together with the numbers of infections that have occurred in health centers, the subsequent casualties and, consequently, the workload that has led to a noticeable psychological deterioration.
After six waves of coronavirus, the pandemic has affected the mental health of professionals and, currently, nine out of 10 health workers suffer the consequences of the virus. “The pandemic has changed people’s order of priorities and, in this context, mental health has become very important. Maybe before it was a little forgotten, “he says. Miguel Alvarez deMon, psychotherapist at the Hospital Infanta Leonor.
The anxiety, the stress, the fatigue, the saturation, the insomnia o la depression, are some of the pathologies that have come into their lives to stay longer than they expected. “Health professionals have realized that they are emotionally vulnerable. Generally they felt immune”, recognizes the expert. Therefore, it ensures that guarantee interventions by psychotherapist specialists to health workers It will help to anticipate, face and overcome difficulties. Thus, all this will affect both the mental health of the doctors themselves and that of their patients, he warns.
Scientific studies from Hubei (China) published last year on the psychological impact of the coronavirus show the difficulties that health professionals have faced while the deterioration of their mental health is confirmed. According to the research data, those health workers who had been treating sick covid reported higher levels of insomnia (47.8 percent), anxiety (15.7 percent), and depression (14.3 percent) than those who didn’t. “Furthermore, of all this I would highlight the frustration and the demotivation with the situation”, adds Álvarez de Mon.
More stress in frontline professionals once morest covid
A stress that, according to Uniteco, increases depending on the number of working hours. The highest figures are collected in the FIA and in emergencies, that is, all those health professionals who experienced the virus on the front line. In addition, the most affected medical specialties are Geriatrics Y Pneumology.
Regarding anxiety, nurses are being one of the most affected groups. Due to ongoing concerns regarding the pandemic, the percentage of insomnia has skyrocketed, especially in women over 35 years of age. And, in this sense, numerous studies and experts confirm that the hours of sleep are essential to guarantee people’s performance, reduce fatigue and recover the energy used.
“You cannot live constantly in the immediacy, that burns anyone”, clarifies the psychotherapist. In the last two years, the toilets have been subject to great tension and an overload of work that has affected their mental health, the company has recalled. In any possible situation, the problems mentioned regarding mental health “can compromise the decisions and the way of acting of our health workers in critical situations”.
The fear of contagion, lack of adequate protective equipment, indecision, overinformation, lack of sleep and few clear guidelines of action are indications that have shown, over the months, the presence of consequences in their mental health. For this reason, Uniteco emphasizes that “it must be considered essential to take care of those who take care of us. Those who watch over our health every day.” “It is essential that professionals get excited once more and enjoy their healthcare work,” says Álvarez de Mon. Therefore, it would be important focus efforts on psychological interventions for all healthcare personnel. “If they are not well, who will be?” he stresses, calling for action.
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