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| JK's Health Department forgets World Mental Health day | | 45 percent adults suffering from mental illness | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 10: With more than 45 percent of the state's adult population suffering from one or the other form of mental distress, the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir forgot to observe the world mental health day in the state. As on October 10 every year, world mental health day is observed across the world, this year the theme was 'Young people and mental health in a changing world'. This day, each October, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples' life worldwide. Observing mental health day was critically important for Jammu and Kashmir as reports have highlighted how the large population here is suffering from the various forms and mental illness. The reports have revealed that nearly 1.8 million adults - 45 percent of state's adult population - suffered from some form of mental distress. A majority - 93 percent - have experienced conflict-related trauma. An average adult was found to have witnessed around eight traumatic events during his or her lifetime. More than 70 percent of adults have experienced or witnessed the sudden or violent death of someone they knew. It adds that 50 percent of women and 37 percent of men are likely to suffer from depression; 36 percent of women and 21 percent of men have a probable anxiety disorder; and 22 percent of women and 18 percent of men suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
According to the government figures, 'Family Problems' and 'Illness' were the major causes of suicides which accounted for for 27.6% and 15.8% of total suicides respectively during 2015. 'Marriage Related Issues' (4.8%), 'Bankruptcy' & 'Love Affairs' (3.3% each), 'Drug Abuse/Alcoholic Addiction' (2.7%) and 'Failure in Examination' & 'Unemployment' (2.0% each), 'Property Dispute' (1.9%), Poverty (1.3%) and Professional/Career Problem (1.2%) were other causes of suicides.
With such dreadful figures in place, the government trying to downplay the importance of World Mental Health day has put its seriousness under the cloud and health experts questioning why the department did not care to organize an official function, seminar or simply an awareness camp.
As per the government handouts, it was only in the remote district of the state- Rajouri that a team of doctors provided treatment and counselling to patients suffering from mental ailments here at a camp organized at District Hospital. Around 48 patients have been provided treatment and counselling for the last five months suffering from mental health ailments such as mania depression psychosis, BPAD, Anxiety etc. |
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