Journalist Irini Nikolopoulou: Toxic workplace behaviors caused my illnesses

Irini Nikolopoulou, a seasoned Greek journalist and presenter, has spoken out about the severe health consequences of a toxic professional environment. She revealed in an interview that her struggles with hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis stemmed directly from the "toxic behaviors" she endured in her workplace.

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The late Dimitris Konstantaras was not just a very good friend of mine. He was the man who put his hand in the fire for me.

Nikolopoulou described the period as incredibly difficult, stating that the "law of silence" was the norm. She shared that she "swallows hard" when recalling the 27 years of hardship. This prolonged stress ultimately led her to resign from her television career at the age of 50, a decision she felt was "very early."

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My illnesses, such as hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, were created and triggered by the toxic behaviors in my professional environment.

During the interview, she also recalled the significant support she received from her close friend, the late journalist Dimitris Konstantaras. Nikolopoulou stated that Konstantaras "put his hand in the fire for me" and was the only journalist among many she knew who testified in her defense during a "terrible court case" she faced. Tasos Telloglou also stood by her side during this challenging time.

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I couldn't stand it and I resigned at 50, which was very early. I don't want to remember this trauma anymore.