On the occasion of the publication of the Catalan version of his book Anar al psychiatre? Why? (Go to the psychiatrist? Why?), edited by Politics, drought and artificial intelligence are events that will affect the population on a psychological level.
"A war always produces fear and insecurity. A war is always unjust, even if those who spread it or those who initiate it justify themselves and want to argue for it," says Anglada. The doctor says that he was born right in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, in 1937, although he has no conscious memory of the war, but of the post-war period.
The doctor adds that an armed conflict also produces a feeling of rage and helplessness for wanting to stop a situation that is not in the hands of the citizens, but of those who are in power and cannot reach an agreement through dialogue without resorting to the armed conflict.
On an economic level, the psychoanalyst agrees that "the times we are living in today remind him of the time of the Civil War", although he hopes that "that famine will not be completely reproduced again." He criticizes that there are "salaries of 800 or 900 euros, which do not even reach 1000 euros per month."
The doctor shows his concern about these data and hopes that it will not get worse in 2024. "And not to mention how the price of food is," he adds.
According to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), supermarket prices have increased by 14.1% in a matter of one year, from 2022 to 2023, which means that making a purchase today is 30.8% more expensive than in the last two years.
Anglada remembers that, in her childhood, having bread and sausage for breakfast was not within the reach of the lower-middle class. "My breakfast was plain bread," she remembers. And so every day.
Today, there are families who cannot afford to add certain products to the shopping cart due to inflation.
Furthermore, together with the precarious salaries and the purchase, the rental price is added. "Young people cannot emancipate themselves. Salaries are not in line with rental prices," laments the doctor. In the past, becoming independent was easier and young people left home at an early age. However, now, they are not even considering taking the step because they cannot afford to pay rent.
"If people live on rent, they have to pay for electricity, water, gas and also get through the month... In the end, this is what I was saying, that if salaries do not barely reach 1,000 euros, where are we going? "Anglada asks. All this can have an impact on the most disadvantaged sectors of the population from a psychological point of view as well.
Another reason that is present in 2024 is the new flu virus and the uncertainty of whether a pandemic will occur again.
The psychoanalyst believes that the trauma of the pandemic can return. In fact, he assures that "governments hide it and deny it, but pandemics have their origin in laboratory accidents and since they do not learn from experience, it is possible that there is another escape and we will have another pandemic again."
The doctor insists that the population is used to making mistakes and does not learn from experience. According to Anglada, human error can cause an accident, a leak and cause another catastrophe.
"A second pandemic can negatively affect and lower the population's self-esteem, since they do not feel safe or protected," explains the psychoanalyst.
The investiture of Pedro Sánchez as President of the Government is also affecting the population. The doctor believes that "the current Spanish right is causing a setback, repression and a regression for society. Right now it is radicalized and they want to disguise it to hide it, but that is not the case."
"This left-wing coalition that has prevented the rise to power of the radicalized right is a kind of miracle, a kind of unstable balance, a kind of tightrope walk," warns the doctor.
The psychoanalyst points out that there is also "a repetition of a regrettable historical phenomenon, which is the fragmentation of the left and the confrontation between different factions of the left."
"Drought affects like a war, because it is the threat right under our noses of misery, poverty, scarcity and general famine. It is a threat equal to or perhaps worse than war, because politicians can negotiate to end a war , but with the drought. There is no one who can end a drought. No one can make it rain so that there is no shortage of water. We are already seeing it now, climate change has made the climate so worse that the swamps do not fill, They are going to remain practically empty," analyzes the psychiatrist.
"And on top of that, since humanity does not learn from experience, coal and fossil fuels are used again and no one wants to reduce industry and carbon dioxide emissions," laments the doctor.
Technology has been turned upside down with the arrival of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence (AI). Today, many people use it to the point that we question whether we can be replaced by AI.
"Artificial intelligence will always have to be managed by humans. Although it may eliminate jobs or be misused to improperly substitute or replace people who should not be replaced or replaced. This is the danger. But I don't think they can replace a person 100%," points out the doctor about the effects of AI.
Likewise, artificial intelligence improves the quality of life by being an instant tool that allows us to offer ideas according to what the user requests. But, although it provides positive effects, it can also worsen the quality of life if not used properly, the doctor warns.
After analyzing these six elements of distortion in 2024, the psychoanalyst argues why and when you should go to the psychiatrist: "When there is suffering that has reached the limit of what is bearable and that can no longer be endured, you have to go to the psychiatrist or psychologist.
Anglada explains that going to a psychiatrist is not a miracle and will not always be able to solve someone's problem. "When someone dies you cannot give that person back. The only thing I can do is help them how they can cope with the situation, but I cannot resolve that suffering. Parents who have lost a child is a cross from which they will not be able to free themselves" , clarifies.
Society has a prejudice about whether to go to a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Many believe that it is frowned upon and is even for those who are crazy. The truth is that 80% of psychiatrists can only medicate, when, in reality, "the patient comes to therapy because he wants to talk about something that distresses or worries him."
Dr. Anglada emphasizes that there are three types of psychiatrists: the psychodynamic, who can only medicate; the behaviorist, which deals with behavioral patterns; and the psychoanalyst, like Anglada, who focuses on psychoanalytic orientation.
"People who go to a psychodynamic psychiatrist can only medicate you, but they will also have to look for a psychologist. And, sometimes, you have to go to both. The psychologist is not a competitor of the psychiatrist, he is a collaborator," he concludes.
