Over 30% of Russians have mental problems

ernnnnn, this does not apply to russians who are out of their country now right? cos i do have a russian classmate...!!! just kidding... =P

"MOSCOW - Stressed out by everyday menaces such as terrorist threats or financial risks, up to 40 per cent of Russians suffer mental problems, the Serbsky Psychiatry Center said.
'Compared to the 1990s, the number of mental problems has gone up three times and now concerns between 30 and 40 per cent of Russians,' the center's deputy director Zurab Kekelidze said.

Russians suffer most of all from claustrophobia or agoraphobia, both linked to fears of hostage takings or terrorist acts, the official said, adding that the two were followed closely by manic depression, which is frequent in times of social transformation.

'In the past decade, we have been more and more dealing with phobias provoked by terrorist threats,' he said, adding that the daily number of those calling the center's hotline goes up from the regular 18 to 300 in case of an actual attack.

Mr Kekelidze also noted that 'the suicide rate is still very high, even though it tends to stabilise now in Russia'.

With the suicide rate of 34.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, Russia ranks second in the world after Lithuania and has some 60,000 people killing themselves each year.

Also, Russians, who had survived two financial crises in the 1990s, 'have no more confidence in the national banking system and feel themselves exposed to financial risks,' another cause for stress, the official explained."

Taken from an article published in the straits times (23rd jan 07)