Studies compiled by CNN show that the adoption of remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic brought about an increase in physical and emotional problems among Brazilians. In theory, the home-office would generate more sleep, less commute, and an opportunity to spend more time with family. In practice, the employee suffered from less socialization, change of routine and work overload.
A LinkedIn survey during the pandemic found that 62% of people are more anxious and stressed about their work than they were before the introduction of remote activities.
The study also shows that 72% of young professionals feel that the pandemic has impaired the learning of behavioral skills, such as communication and emotional intelligence.
The mental health problems of Brazilians are also perceived by therapists. Data released this Friday (29) by Zenklub, emotional health platform, record an increase of 151% in therapy sessions in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2020.
In absolute numbers, there were more than 50,000 consultations in the first six months of 2021. In these sessions, mentions of mental health problems rose by 1.745% in online therapy sessions.
“Six out of ten Brazilians feel an overload of work. This shows that we are dealing with more pressure and feel more tired or exhausted. The change in routine, environment, work dynamics, reduced socialization and difficulty in imposing limits are aggravating factors,” Zenklub CEO and co-founder Rui Brandão told CNN.
The greater demand for the treatment of mental disorders was also registered by a survey carried out by the Brazilian Psychiatric Association (ABP), which included professionals from 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District.
According to the survey, 82.9% of psychiatrists realized the worsening of mental health problems in patients who were already dealing with some disorder, such as depression and anxiety. In 69.3% of the states, professionals treated patients who had already been discharged.
Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that the most common disorders in Brazil are anxiety and depression, which affect 20 million and 12 million people, respectively. Furthermore, the country is considered the most anxious nation in the world and the fifth most depressed.
In addition to mental health problems, Brazilians suffered more physical complications while working remotely. This is what the Sociedade Brasileira de Coluna (SBC) says, for example.
For SBC member Dr. Haroldo Chagas, the number of spinal surgeries has ‘never been so high’. He also details how the home-office can influence this trend.
“Without a doubt, this is the moment that I’m most operating in the column. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the need for interventions to treat cervical spine problems has increased a lot, being mostly patients with intolerable pain. Inactivity is related to problems in the cervical and lumbar spine. The home office intensifies this effect. In person, whether we like it or not, we need to move. The well-being of the spine is related to movement”, said the spine specialist neurosurgeon.
On the other hand, the fear of being infected by the new coronavirus and the ease of working from home, a portion of Brazilians would like to remain working from home, at least partially.
The LinkedIn study highlights that 43% of Brazilians prefer to adopt a hybrid routine, a work model that alternates in-person days at the office and days at home-office.
Reference: CNN Brasil
