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| Violence, psychological problems on rise | | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | Oct 12
As violence takes no let off in Kashmir; psychological problems are cropping up among people here. The fear, death and destruction suspended here from last 19 years in valley have created situation mass psychological problems.
Though the medical experts opine that it is a "global phenomena", but failed to rule out that the present circumstances and the political uncertainty in the has had an ubiquitous impact on the psychological behaviour of the people.
Medical superintendent of Psychiatric hospital Srinagar , Professor Hameedullah Shah said that major illnesses are depression and post traumatic stress disorders.
"Around 10 to 12 new cases of psychological related problems are being admitted in the hospital per day. At present around 150 patients are admitted in the hospital, who are suffering from various psychological problems and their number is increasing by each passing day," he said.
The medical superintendent acknowledged that new category of patients are coming in the hospital who are suffering from psychological disorders due to increasing competition and industrialization in the society.
"Few years back, psychological disorder was only being attributed to present conflict. But at present, there are multiple reasons behind the increasing number of psychological problems. Majority of them are involved due to environmental stress and over burden of work," Shah informed.
He said that hundreds of patients are seeking psychiatric treatment in the hospital. Being lone psychiatric hospital in the valley, it becomes some time difficult for them to treat the rush of patients or to accommodate them in the hospital. "Such patients needs extra care long Medicare, "he said.
Among the increasing number of psychological disorders patients, majority are women as they are worst affected due to present turmoil. During the last 18 years of armed insurgency in the state, majority of women became widows and a new term has immerged called "half widows" whose husbands are missing for the last 18 years in the state.
Valley has witnessed alarming increase in suicide cases, primarily among them are teenagers. These teenagers some time commit suicide due to increasing pressure of studies.
"I am treating 15 to 20 psychiatrict patients every day," said a psychiatrist on the condition of anonymity. He said, during the last 15 years people have witnessed crackdown, grenade blasts, killings, protests, torture and firings which made an adverse impact on their minds which become major cause of mental distress," he observes.
The psychiatrist said that in every conflict zone in the world the number of psychiatric patients usually increases, due to inadequate Medicare facilities in the state. The problem further complicated in the valley, due to lack of Non governmental organizations (NGO's).
"The NGO's are playing an important role in the conflict zone to treat fear psychosis among the people. Unfortunately majority of the patient here are still away from treatment. It is high time for state government and NGO's to asses the situation and understand the sensitivity of problem and play an active to treat such patients,"he said.
Psychiatrists and sociologists believed that religious faith has been an important influence in checking the fear psychosis of the people. The mental health experts believe that there has been a staggering increase in the number of stress and trauma related cases.
"Usually people complaint about anxiety, depression, hysteria, post traumatic stress.These cases can be treated if adequate medicare is being provided with them," the expert said.
The expert was not hesitant to say that most Kashmiris have psychological disorder. "Is there any one who is not the victim of violence in one or other way. Every one is disturbed. You can see a normal person gets abnormal within five minutes," informed the expert. He added the need of hour is to educate the people. It is easy to make people cry but tough to make them laugh. |
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