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Entrevista PAT ANA
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Entrevista PAT ANA

Interview on Depression and Anxiety in Peru

Introduction to the Interview

  • The interview aims to gather information about the prevalent issues of depression and anxiety in the Peruvian population.
  • The interviewer emphasizes the importance of honesty and confidentiality during the conversation.

Participant Background

  • The participant, Anelucía Ocampo, is 29 years old and recently completed her second degree in architecture.
  • She works independently in architecture, construction, and interior design, which leads to variable income due to a lack of fixed salary.

Work-Life Balance

  • Anelucía describes her work schedule as irregular with no stable hours, impacting her daily routine.
  • She engages in hobbies like dancing and knitting during her free time but primarily focuses on work due to its demands.

Experience with Stress and Anxiety

  • Anelucía has experienced stress since childhood, noting that both children and adults can suffer from anxiety-related behaviors such as nail-biting.
  • She identifies her struggles with anxiety more than stress, particularly during university when balancing studies and work became challenging.

Physical Symptoms of Stress

  • Physical symptoms include migraines, tension headaches, back pain due to scoliosis, and tingling sensations that began around early 2023.

Daily Routine Insights

  • Her typical day starts between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM; she often sleeps late (around 1 AM or later) while working or studying at night.
  • Breakfast is sometimes skipped if she wakes up too late; however, she tries to maintain a routine despite irregularities caused by her independent work lifestyle.

Work-Life Balance and Stress Management

Daily Routine and Work Environment

  • The speaker works from home, balancing tasks with occasional outings to public entities or municipalities, preferring morning hours for these activities to avoid intense sun exposure.
  • They schedule their work until lunchtime, then continue with various responsibilities, including Zoom meetings. They have adapted to a routine that accommodates pending tasks.

Sources of Stress and Anxiety

  • The speaker is asked about moments of heightened stress or anxiety in their daily life.
  • A recent example includes the pressure of meeting deadlines for a final project during their studies, which triggered feelings of nervousness due to time constraints.
  • Reflecting on past experiences, they mention significant stress while working on their thesis due to uncertainty about approval and the extensive demands involved.

Impact of Financial Stability on Stress

  • The speaker discusses how financial instability contributes to stress levels, particularly when juggling work and study commitments.
  • They describe stress as a culmination of pressures from various life aspects—work-related tasks and family issues—that can affect emotional well-being.

Physical Manifestations of Stress

  • The speaker articulates that stress manifests physically through headaches, migraines, muscle pain, especially in the back.
  • Anxiety has been a lifelong issue for them; they recall childhood habits like nail-biting as coping mechanisms during stressful situations.

Coping Strategies for Managing Stress

  • When asked about strategies for managing stress or anxiety, the speaker mentions feeling physical symptoms like tingling in the face as a wake-up call regarding their mental health.
  • They found relief through dancing after joining a caporales group three years ago. This activity serves as an enjoyable outlet that helps alleviate daily stresses.

How Stress and Anxiety Affect Work and Personal Life

Coping Mechanisms for Stress

  • The speaker finds relief from stress by engaging in playful activities with children or taking their dog to the park, suggesting that interaction with loved ones can alleviate feelings of stress.
  • They mention watching videos about "active time," emphasizing the importance of short breaks during long hours of work at a desk to combat boredom and fatigue.

Impact of Work Environment on Mental Health

  • The speaker discusses how prolonged computer use leads to mental blocks, indicating that routine tasks can contribute to stress and hinder productivity.
  • They describe their profession in architecture, which combines technical skills with creative demands, highlighting the dual pressures faced in such roles.

Academic Pressure and Career Choices

  • The speaker reflects on the challenges of studying architecture while working, noting that this combination often leads to significant stress due to high expectations.
  • They express having considered leaving their studies multiple times due to overwhelming pressure but ultimately persevered through various academic hurdles.

Effects of Stress on Personal Relationships

  • The speaker acknowledges that stress impacts their social interactions; they tend to isolate themselves when feeling overwhelmed, preferring solitude over potential conflict.
  • They discuss how family issues can exacerbate their anxiety, leading them to detach from situations that do not directly involve them but still affect their emotional state.

Strategies for Managing Anxiety

  • In response to a question about recent experiences with anxiety, the speaker mentions distancing themselves from familial problems as a coping strategy.
  • They identify breathing techniques and active time management as necessary tools for better handling anxiety but admit they have yet to implement these strategies effectively.

Seeking Professional Help

  • The speaker reveals they have never sought professional help for mental health issues due to financial constraints despite recognizing its importance.

Exploring Emotional Well-Being and Digital Resources

Seeking Help for Emotional Challenges

  • The speaker discusses various methods of seeking help, including online resources like TikTok, YouTube, and books. They mention using ChatGPT as a virtual diary to express feelings when overwhelmed or stressed.
  • The conversation shifts to the financial barriers of seeing a psychologist. The speaker is unaware of free mental health campaigns offered by the Ministry of Health.

Personal Experiences with Psychological Support

  • The speaker reflects on their limited experience with psychologists, noting that their closest interaction was with a friend who is a psychologist back in 2019.
  • They acknowledge the accumulation of stress since then and highlight the importance of having someone to listen to them regularly.

Utilizing Digital Tools for Emotional Support

  • When asked about digital techniques for emotional well-being, the speaker mentions using ChatGPT to discuss anxieties and decision-making processes.
  • They describe ChatGPT's role as providing options and recommendations rather than imposing solutions, likening it to a virtual psychologist.

Frustrations with Current Solutions for Stress Management

  • The speaker expresses frustration over existing solutions for managing stress and anxiety, particularly regarding access to affordable psychological services.
  • They emphasize that regular sessions with psychologists can be financially burdensome and time-consuming, which adds to their stress levels.

Potential Benefits of an Emotional Support App

  • The idea of an app providing constant emotional support is discussed. The speaker believes it could offer more affordable alternatives compared to traditional therapy sessions.
  • They envision an app available 24/7 that could provide immediate assistance during moments of crisis or anxiety.

Desired Features in an Emotional Support App

  • Key features desired include techniques for relaxation (e.g., breathing exercises), physical activities, motivational messages, and continuous availability from professionals behind the app.
  • Regarding pricing, they find a monthly fee of $9.90 reasonable and accessible for most people, especially young individuals managing their mental health.