Psychologist Nana Chachua: “Number of Suicides Increases When There Is Depression and Despair”

Number of unemployed people is increasing, communal bills are being raised, allowances are being abolished for various categories, and the life has become too expensive. Hard social situation and starvation tells on the society in different forms. According to psychological surveys those forms are depression, aggression, indifference, suicide and complicated criminal situation.

How can we overwhelm the reality? What should we expect from the society? How did other countries undergo similar situation? Psychologist Nana Chachua spoke about those questions in her conversation with the Human Rights Center.

Journalist: What are your estimations about Georgian people’s psychological situation that was caused by hard social situation in the country-is it depressive or complicated one?

Nana Chachua: Initially I should ask a question-is it a depressive background or not? I think it is facing the reality rather than depression; the reality that is accompanied with various difficulties. These difficulties can challenge stimulating forces within a person. When there are some difficulties, inner psychological resources become more active and they are put into motion.

I have heard that allowances on public transport have been abolished, people are reduced at many offices, life has become more expensive; but if everything is changed under the law, a person would be in positive stimulating situation. I mean the legislation should challenge the society to unleash their activities-establish Ltds, launch some other activities and reveal their own individual possibilities.

In general, everybody realizes the situation after a first shock. We should not relay on one person to realize the situation, the whole society should be ready to cope the problems. The preparation works should be carried out by electro and printed media. In fact, TV should be more active in preparing the people for upcoming novelties.

-Can you explain us how should media prepare the society?

N. Ch. Regarding the situation media should inform the people about certain alternatives of employment, vacancies, initiatives, the ways and forms of revealing one’s own possibilities. The information should be available for everyone. The proposed product should be feasible. Besides that, psychological, material and legislative support is necessary.

-There is a category of population who can find some sources to earn their living. But there are people who cannot do anything. How can the latter category endure the reality?

N. Ch. Depression increases in those people. If you tell me that they have neither boat, nor ship, they cannot swim either though they have to cross the river; what do you think the depressive background should be? Such people are in the most difficult situation. Those who have restricted mental and physical possibilities should manage something. However, corresponding legislation should exist to support them. If there is no legislation, those people have no way out. Elderly people or those who can not physiologically answer the demands are doomed to disaster.

-Can you remember the countries which have undergone similar situation? Has the society got used to current situation, did the depression or number of suicides increase there, etc?

N. CH. People gradually get used to the hard situation. There is no country that has not endured any difficulties. But the point is-at the expense of what. For example, let’s recall Jack London’s era in America; there were a lot of difficulties at that time in the USA. Jack London had a gift of writing novels and he could survive. Let us imagine his life if he had not the talent; what would he have done then? The same can be said about the period of O’ Henry who also had great problems in his life. There are so many talented people in the history who survived with the help of their talent.

Georgian people have worked for many years, they paid bills; they did what the state ordered them to do. It was not their choice to live during the soviet regime. Now, they are old enough to be granted with pension and allowances. They have right to receive them. Hard social situation and inhuman life conditions is expressed by aggression, complicated criminal situation, depression, indifference and the biggest problem is the indifferent attitude towards everything. 
 
-Does the number of suicide increase when the social situation is hard?

N Ch. Unfortunately, it really happens so. Problem regarding the suicide has always been too urgent in Georgia; however it is not as urgent as in many other countries. The highest level of the suicide is in France. French people are famous for the problem. In the countries where civilization and technical problems are higher, similar accidents are quite frequent occasions. Although, social background is too hard, there is condolence, support that helps a desperate person to overcome the disaster.

-How should we endure these difficulties and what will be the output of present hard social situation in future?

N. Ch. We will overcome the hard life; at least our culture of close relationship would help us. The church does much in the field. There will be irritation, depression, mistrust. But in parallel to it, the government should create flexible legislative basis to resolve the problem. People should have a chance to find their place in the society. The law should be general and liberal. Most of all it should protect the people over fifty, lonely and retired people.

Eka Gulua