Mental Illness, Stress Cases Rising

A (45), who works for a conglomerate, had experienced headaches and stomachaches, and was sent to the ER one day after experiencing shortness of breath during a conference. No anomalies could be detected. The symptoms became worse later on, and his heart pounded while his throat felt that something was stuck inside, and along with frequent diarrhea his life was in disorder.

At the psychiatrist he was diagnosed with ‘physical disability due to stress (nervousness)”. The doctor said, “Stress in the workplace and anxiety about his future may have caused his mental disability.”

People like Mr. A who experience stress and nervousness and visit the hospital for mental disability are on the increase. Sources of anxiety such as the North Korean nuclear test, large-scale accidents, fierce competition, dismantling of households, and economic depression as well as rapid societal changes are leading to an increase in mental disabilities.

Mentally disabled patients have increased 27.0 percent in five years, from 1,344,259 people in 2001 to 1,706,845 people in 2005. It is 2.7 times more than the increase of the total amount of patients, estimated at 10.2 percent. The number of treatment cases for mentally disabled patients increased 42.8 percent (21.2 percent of total illnesses), while the cost of treatment increased 58.7 percent (32.7 percent of total illnesses), showing a rate of increase twice as fast as the total amount of illnesses.

The results were based on the 2001 to 2005 Korean Mental Disability Treatment Statistics compiled by the National Health Insurance Corporation and the Health Insurance Review Agency, acquired and analyzed exclusively by the Dong-A Ilbo on October 12. It is the first time domestic treatment trends of mental disability have been analyzed.

Mentally disabled people visit hospitals 3.6 times on average per person, and spend 349,200 won for treatment annually. With the average annual treatment fees for 287,400 won per person in the entire patient populace, mentally disabled patients are more financially burdened when compared to patients of other illnesses.

Among mentally disabled patients in 2005, those that led to physical illnesses due to anxiety and stress numbered the highest with 39.4 percent. While there are many abnormal symptoms for mental disability leading to physical illnesses, no abnormality can be found during the medical check-ups. Anxiety, fear, obsessive-compulsiveness, post-traumatic stress, and hypochondria are leading examples.

Woo Jong-min, head of the Stress Center of Seoul Paik Hospital of Inje University said, “The initial cause of mental disability may be stress, but anxiety may trigger stress,” and added, “If anxiety is not controlled, it is highly probable that this will lead to mental disability.”

Among 10 types of mental illnesses, the increase of patients with behavioral symptoms including bulimia, anorexia, and sex avoidance recorded the highest with 101.2 percent. Experts state that the increase in patients may be explained by the fact that more mentally disabled patients visit hospitals than the past, many still avoid consultation, so that more mentally disabled people are expected than reflected in the statistics.

The Korean Medical Association for Anxiety has selected October 13 as ‘Day of Anxiety Identification’, in order to diagnose and treat anxiety symptoms.

corekim@donga.com