#2 - JRL 7261
Vremya MN
July 23, 2003
DOES THE OLIGARCH NEED A PSYCHIATRIST?
This situation will persist as long as Russians feel defenseless
Author: Yelena Kostyuk
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]

RUSSIA HAS PAID A HIGH PRICE FOR TEN YEARS OF REFORMS: THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS HAS INCREASED BY 40%. THE FEELING OF VULNERABILITY WHICH RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY HAS GENERATED AROUND THE NATION HAS BECOME THE CAUSE OF NERVOUS DISORDERS.

Tatyana Dmitriyeva, director of the Serbsky research center of social and forensic medicine, stated in an interview with Echo of Moscow Radio yesterday that Russia has paid a high price for ten years of reforms: the number of people with mental illnesses has increased by 40%. The feeling of vulnerability which Russian democracy has generated around the nation has become the cause of nervous disorders.

Tatyana Dmitriyeva (a member of the political council of United Russia) noted: "This situation will persist as long as people feel defenseless in our country. However, the country is now changing, and many people have managed to adapt to new conditions."

Adults adapt to new circumstances, but teenagers cannot cope with their emotional experience: the number of college students with psychological disorders is rising with every year. According to Dmitriyeva, around 70% to 80% of young people have such problems. The nation has fine prospects with such a "generation next"!

To all appearances, this is the main reason why Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov gave orders to prepare a federal program aimed at developing psychiatric counselling services for the population. It should be noted that the government is dealing with this task very quickly.

Unfortunately, Dr. Dmitriyeva did not comment on how changes in Russia have affected oligarchs. It would be interesting to listen to a specialist's opinion about the mental disorders of oligarchs who are currently feeling vulnerable.

(Translated by Alexander Dubovoi)