The government is expanding the list of psychiatric contraindications for certain types of professional activities. This includes several medical specialties, public transport drivers, firefighters, teachers, miners – the list is quite extensive. In general, these are all those people who, at work, deal with weapons, dangerous substances, complex mechanisms, or on which the safety and life of defenseless people depends. Including minors.
And in this new list of contraindications – in addition to very very clinical cases, like schizophrenia – for the first time they want to introduce a group of mood disorders. And this, among others, is depression so popular in the autumn-winter period. This is a very important step towards recognizing that affective disorders are not an invention of sensitive young ladies or drinking men, but quite a disease that reduces the quality of life and work. And since we are talking about people in whose hands are the lives of others, this becomes an important factor in the safety of others.
Even before the spread of covid, scientists around the world noted that an epidemic of depression was coming. The frantic rhythm of modern society, the wave of information (often fake) deprive us of a foothold and drive us into an emotional peak, from which many cannot get out. The pandemic has exacerbated the effect. So much so that in Russia – and these are statistical data – the number of purchases of antidepressants is growing from year to year. Even now, when the coronavirus seems to have won.
At the same time, there is a fine line between depression as a cultural phenomenon, including seasonal, and as a medical diagnosis. Only a certified specialist can determine this line. At the same time, the availability of information pushes for self-diagnosis, self-treatment, and sometimes even into the arms of outright scammers. Details in the report of the correspondent of “Izvestia” Alexei Poltoranin.
Sectarians-pseudopsychologists
She asked not to be named and to cover her face. He says he fears for his life. Because her close relative turned with her problems to a very dubious St. Petersburg psychologist – Kreis Rasulev.
“She had depression: problems with her husband, discord in the family. He first positioned himself as a psychologist, found out her weak points. And then, based on this information, he began to manipulate and parasitize at its expense.– a relative of the victim told about the doctor.
While the consultations were going on, suspicious amulets began to appear in the patient’s children. Her behavior changed dramatically – she moved away from her loved ones, and soon filed for divorce from her husband. To the surprise of her relatives, the young mother settled a psychologist in her apartment.
“As far as we know, it is now being proven in court that he is a member of a destructive organization,” – added a relative of the victim.
Rasulev provided psychological services when the Order of the Way sect existed in St. Petersburg. He allegedly was the right hand of the head – Gaiva Tikhomirova, who is now serving her sentence in a colony. For about 20 years, she pulled money from gullible clients and taught this to the closest adherents. Stanislav’s wife even took out a loan secured by housing.
“The apartment was taken away by bailiffs for non-payment. Within a year, a person’s psyche was completely broken, the person became completely different. ”– recalls Stanislav Vikulin.
After Gaiva Tikhomirov was detained, the court sent her to a penal colony for five and a half years. And Rasulev continued to consult patients for five thousand rubles per hour. I’m going to see him.
“Rasulev accepts patients in the city center – on Dumskaya Street, the most green in St. Petersburg. Here is the office – “Psychological Studio”. Here specialists rent premises”– Alexey Poltoranin showed the entrance.
Psychological experiment on myself
An office with dark furniture, and Rasulev also closes the curtains in the room. He puts a pillow under my back, literally in a few minutes determines that I have depression in the initial stage. No tests, just general questions about mood. We are interrupting the session. At the sight of the camera, the psychologist begins to gather for the exit.
asked the specialist.“Are you a member of the Order of the Way sect?” – follows a question from a journalist.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about”– Rasulev assures.
“Yes? And you are seen in the photographs, – adds the correspondent.
“Goodbye guys”the psychologist ends the conversation.
Affected by the services of dubious psychologists across the country are now hundreds. Even stars become victims. Model Anna Kalashnikova admits: she turned to a psychologist more like a friend for advice, and in the end gave her 16 million rubles.
“I say why nothing works. There are some improvements, but not “Olympic”, roughly speaking. She replies: we need financial, material relationships.– recalls a celebrity.
Diploma for the price of two sessions
To appear as a specialist and ingratiate himself, as it turned out, you don’t even need to study. This activity is not licensed, and a psychology diploma is offered on the Internet for only 18 thousand rubles. The cost will return after a couple of sessions.
People who go to an appointment (especially in an anxious state), as a rule, do not bother checking the document. And even if you look closely, it looks very real – printing, protective elements. A trip to such a specialist will definitely have a detrimental effect on the patient’s condition.
“It only leads to a worsening of the disease itself. A psychologist simply has no right to treat depression. Depression is a disease. And the doctor treats the disease “– said Natalya Taranova, a medical psychologist at the psychoneurological dispensary in the Frunzensky district.
It is often the victims of questionable consultants who turn to this psychological rehabilitation center on the basis of the city hospital. Depression here reveals a medical psychologist. The rest is the work of other specialists who are in the same office, a psychotherapist, for example. I, as a patient, first collect complaints by a psychologist, then a test.
Symptoms of depression and its treatment
Decreased mood, sleep disturbances, apathy, loss of a sense of pleasure, loss of strength, frequent irritability are signs of depression. This disorder, as doctors say, is now the main one in the patients who applied – post-covid or autumn depression. This is confirmed by the growth in sales of antidepressants in pharmacies. They are up 57% over last year.
“In order not to roll into a state of depression, you need to observe the regime of work and rest. Secondly, these are walks and physical activity, the same meditations – any actions that allow you to switch from your thoughts to some kind of physical activity.– advised the psychotherapist Andrey Kurpatov.
And patients now need to be sensitive to their body, listen to it and turn only to experienced healers of souls. State Duma deputies are already preparing the relevant amendments – they plan to prescribe in a separate law who can be called psychologists and for whom this help can be free.
“These are the poor, and the disabled, orphans. But this list needs to be expanded.”– explained State Duma deputy Tatyana Dyakonova.
A network of state psychological service centers will appear. Assistance to patients will be not only accessible, but also professional – it will be provided not by crooks, but by experienced doctors with a diploma. And no two-week courses after which people consider themselves experts in the field of psychology.