The National Institute of Strategic Studies and Ministry of Health of Ukraine with the support of the International Charitable Foundation “Health of the Ukrainian People” have found what makes Ukrainians worried, nervous, and distressed. The pollsters asked also how our citizens were dealing with stress.
So, the study has found that the most important source of psychological overload and resulting stress for Ukrainians was “conflicts with superiors, office intrigues, and bonus denial.” When looking at the numbers, more than half of those polled (55 percent) cited workplace issues as the main cause of stress, with financial insecurity and indebtedness coming second at 40 percent, and the health problems of one’s relatives coming third at 25 percent, followed by the atmosphere in the family at 20 percent.
The current socio-political instability in this country caused anxiety and concern in every fifth Ukrainian (22 percent). In addition, 35 percent of respondents said that they were equally concerned about all of these factors. The researchers said that “stress in Ukraine has become a real epidemic: 94.6 percent of respondents felt it at least once and 39.7 percent said they faced it regularly.”
How Ukrainians dealt with stress? Over 97 percent of respondents indicated that they “were coming up with all sorts of tricks to find inner peace.” They often chose methods that were ineffective or even harmful to their nervous system and health. Thus, more than 46 percent watched television, while 41 percent were trying to eat their way out of stress. It was not the worst option, though, for over 34 percent of respondents sought relaxation in tobacco and alcohol.
One in five resorted to pharmaceuticals, with 46 percent of those taking valerian, and more than 33 percent taking Corvalol. A substantial portion of those who use a sedative bought it in tablets, enabling them to always have it on hand. As much as 57 percent said they had recommended their friends and relatives to use pharmaceuticals in dealing with stress. Unfortunately, the study did not even mention such options as sporting activities, yoga, meditation, participating in psychological trainings and personal development groups that do not just help one fight stress, but also allow to avoid it altogether and create room for growth.
