Stress cause huge crisis Interior

He is not reticent about this. "If we continue like this, we do not need an atomic bomb to completely eradicate ourselves. We need a different lifestyle to prevent a disaster. "

The ever-increasing cases of burn-out in the Netherlands cost society 20 billion euros per year, says Matser. In doing so, he relies on figures provided previously by OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development). In addition, the condition often leads to permanent brain injury.

"In the Netherlands about 1 in 5 people do not work, due to stress and a burnout," says Matser. "These people are literally too tired to work because of a lack of energy. It usually involves relatively young people. "

Matser: "Because of our way of life, many people develop brain dysfunctions and therefore get stubborn symptoms that can seriously impede functioning. Even GPs often do not know that. "

Matser has, based on his own findings, several medical publications on the subject behind his name. ,, We have lost contact with who we really are. And we no longer know what we need to stay healthy and energetic. "

"Perfectionism is a dagger in the back of young people"

Groundbreaking for Matser, who gained international fame with research into brain injuries in sport, was a lecture by Nadine Burke, a pediatrician from San Francisco. ,, Her findings were that persistent stress ('Toxic Stress') in children cause brain dysfunctions and changes in the brain anatomy. ''

Matser: "People who grow up with persistent stress during their childhood actually develop other connections in the brain, whereby the fear center is activated more quickly and remains activated for a long time. That does not just go away. The consequences are often lifelong. "Harvard Medical School also recently demonstrated that living in a stressful environment literally breaks down nerve cells as a result of the persistent high level of alertness.

Matser: "In our society too many people are overloaded with information. Eighty per cent of my own students say that they can not even spend a day without a mobile phone and e-mail. The brain remains continuously under high voltage and can not handle that in part by many young people. ''

Making important choices at too young age, working under increasing pressure, these are also things that have disastrous consequences. Matser: "Perfectionism is a dagger in the back of young people. Mind you: perfectionism is an anxiety disorder, you get sick of it. ''

We need to grow up, develop in a life that suits your mental speed and your own unique motivational attitude. "Ask yourself in which company culture you function best. A bookkeeper can fail at a company because he does not fit into the culture. But in a different environment he can probably function fantastically. Why does Bergkamp fail at Inter and does he get a statue at Arsenal? He found the right environment. ''