Some twenty percent of all consultations on psychological wellbeing are related to anxiety about life.
The condition may be found under many names, but the most suitable one appears to be “dissatisfaction with life”. In psychiatric classifications, such cases are listed under the Z code. They reflect the tendency to over-rely on expert advice when it comes to conflicts and their aftermath. The condition is not some kind of mental disorder or pathology; however, over twenty percent of patients seek professional help because of it. The Z code has led to an even increasing number of visits to the general practitioner.
The reason is often related to indisposition or anxiety. In reality, people who suffer from it are not psychiatric patients, requiring expert attention. Their condition is classified in some of the following ways: stress, spring exhaustion, post-holiday syndrome, conflicts with one’s partner or colleagues… The physical symptoms they have cannot be categorized under some standard criteria, set for psychological conditions. A constantly increasing number of patients, who complain of psychological conditions, stress-related problems, and family issues, are now referred to psychiatric wards. Yet, they don’t have any symptoms of psychological disorders.
Note that “not everything that happens in life can be attributed to a psychological condition” points out the psychiatrist Enricke Baka Garcia. At the same time, “we have to take our psychological health very seriously”. Some problems, for example, are so complex that can lead to pathological conditions, if left untreated. Garcia considers that expert advice is necessary if the patient feels out of balance. The specialist assesses whether the client needs treatment.
One problem, however, is that Z code is hard to diagnose. Possible reasons are alienation, loneliness, inadequate communication… Enricke Aragones from the Hispanic Association for Family and Community Medicine warns “We act as if there is a pill for almost everything – something quick, safe, and effective. However, we cannot change our lifestyle even a tiny bit”.
Aragones points out that people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to scientific developments. We have turned healthcare into a product that helps correct this or that. Ideas of healthcare reflect the lifestyle in Europe and the US. People try to find quick solutions to conflicts and fail to deal with the real problems. We don’t leave problems to develop naturally, e.g. relationship problems, so we can’t see what is really wrong.
Moreover, we can’t control everything. We often deal with situations that are out of control. The right approach here is dialogue, listening to the other, etc.
Some people feel so vulnerable, however, that every problem looks insurmountable. Stress management is thus important.
Experts believe that people are quick to ask for medications, even if they don’t really need them. Developed societies have medicines for what not. And people resort to medications even when they are dissatisfied or can’t deal with a certain problem. Medications can’t really substitute family support, social networks, friends, and dealing with life on your own.
The psychologist Eudohia Gay summarized it well: “The world has changed but people didn’t follow pace”. When we deal with new situations, we panic rather than consider them completely normal.