Stress, self-harm, suicide: India fights mental health crisis with Covid-19 tally spikes

The pandemic has been hemmed inside the house for months like a rage, and millions of people are beginning to emerge radically in a radically transformed world-depression due to an uneasy adjustment process. Various mental health problems occur, from illness to the final stage of suicide.

The fear of illness and the days of life extension due to knowing that the incidence of Covid-19 soared rather than being included in the lockdown and could be postponed indefinitely have left many people. It is linked to the recognition that it has been deeply annoying.

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In addition to this new normal, unhealthy, unemployment, financial crisis, and everyday stress that people have to deal with anyway, the Covid-19 tunnel looks dark and endless light.

“This long-term uncertainty has made people more anxious, so people who were previously in the mild anxiety spectrum have transitioned from moderate to severe anxiety in New Delhi. Irbinder Singh, a psychologist, psychotherapist and director at the Ashoka Health and Welfare Center, said:

Singh’s concerns have been echoed across the country as India’s Covid-19 aggregate exceeded 47.5 larks in 94,372 new cases reported Sunday.

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Concerns are rooted in reports that more people have injured themselves, some have ended their lives, and many have complained of depression and serious anxiety.

In Gujarat, for example, 108 emergency services received about 800 “self-harms” and 90 suicides in April, May, June and July, officials said. Immediately after the national blockade on March 25, numbers began to skyrocket.

Vikas Bihani, a 108 service officer, said the suicide prevention and counseling helpline typically received about 8-9 calls a month, but the number has doubled since March.

“Between March and August, there were 142 calls from depressed people. The majority of callers face financial, family, or mental health-related problems and they I wanted to end my life, “he said.

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Some people who test positive for the coronavirus have injured themselves because they cannot tolerate “disappointment,” said the Bangalore-based National Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (NIMHANS). BN Gangader told PTI. His colleague V Senthil Kumar Reddi, coordinator of NIMHANS psychiatry, said he needed to investigate the reasons behind the cases of self-harm.

Gujarat-based psychologist Prasant Bimani said the economic crisis fueled “suicidal ideation.”

“The number of patients suffering from coronavirus depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder has increased by 70%. People are worried about what happens to them if they become infected with the coronavirus,” he added.

There is no exact number, but there is increasing anecdotal evidence of those who choose to end their lives.

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Just last week, I found a newlywed hanging at Panny Pat’s home. Aawed (28) and his wife Nazma (19) reportedly married a month ago.

Aawed was angry at losing his job as a welder during the lockdown and wanted to get a job during the unlock period. But that didn’t happen, and he became more and more desperate, reportedly said his brother Jord.

In Uttar Pradesh, migrant workers Chuk and Rambab died in the village of Banda. Neither had a job and was stressed, their family said. Trouble goes beyond class. In Barabanki, a 37-year-old Vivek, who failed in business, poisoned his wife and three children and threw himself into his home.

In the capital, two brothers in their 40s were hanging at a Chandni Chowk jewelry shop. They kept records of suicide, apologized to their families, and cited the financial crisis as the reason behind the extreme steps.

Coronavirus India Update: Total number of confirmed cases by state

And sometimes it’s just about illness.

For example, a 50-year-old man living in the Borangil district of Odisha allegedly jumped into a well and committed suicide after his nephew tested positive. He was worried that Covid-19 might also have a contract.

There are many stories of increasing stress and the inability to handle it, and from all parts of the country.

“There is a common problem of anxiety … whether you have a contract with Covid, etc. People with a bad cold or cough feel anxious. They are also concerned about employment, the economy and EMI. They are in the future. I’m worried about uncertainty. ” Samir Parikh, director of mental health and behavioral sciences at Fortis Healthcare, said.

The number of patients referred to the Department of Psychiatry at King George Medical College in Lucknow has increased significantly, said Adarsh ​​Tripathi, an additional professor in the department.

“Economic activity has ceased, companies have closed, and concerns about the future, work, marriage and education have all had direct psychological consequences,” he added.

In Tripathi’s view, the age group of 15 to 25 is the most vulnerable to self-harm and suicide ideas.

Sanchita Pakrashi, a Kolkata-based psychologist, said the most important factor was collective anxiety about the future.

“I am accepting patients of all ages. Until February, complaints came primarily from students and young professionals suffering from work stress and personal crisis. Now it shows signs of mitigation. It’s a collective crisis that doesn’t show, “she said.

RK Solanki, a Jaipur-based psychiatrist, agreed.

He said cases of anxiety disorders, stress and suicidal ideation have increased in the last three to four months. This is most relevant to situations that result from lockdowns and the spread of the coronavirus.

“During the lockdown, people were mostly emotionally depressed. Now, future-related concerns are one of the main reasons for anxiety and depression in many young patients,” Solanki said.

The coronavirus pandemic can also affect the mental health and emotional well-being of some children, and parents need to address their needs with a compassionate and friendly approach, Chandigarh’s PGIMER. SK Mattoo, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, added.

In the face of a growing mental health crisis, several institutions are implementing programs for their staff.

Patna’s AIIMS has partnered with Medicine Sun Frontier to provide training to Medico and emergency medical staff on how to treat Covid-19 patients with mental illness or depression in hospitals.

Approximately 30% of institutional coronavirus patients were found to have mental illness, said Sanjeev Kumar, node officer at the Institute’s Covid-19.

Anandona Dokarni of the Institute for Psychological Health in Mumbai recommends regular practitioners a 30-day short-term intensive course of clinical psychology to provide basic support to patients who complain of stress and anxiety. ..

“There is no doubt that more and more people are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. Lockdown has not only led to recurrences in those who were on their way to recovery, but also in those who had previously had no symptoms. It caused stress and anxiety-related disorders between them, “said Nadkarni. The Arunachal Pradesh Government is also taking steps to reduce stress in Covid-19 patients being treated at various care centers and hospitals.

“In addition to supportive counseling, doctors’ treatment will work with psychiatrists to begin treatment of mild symptoms of anxiety and insomnia as needed,” said Health Minister Partivan, Secretary of State. ..

The helpline, founded by DISHA, a joint venture between the State Health Department (NHM) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, thousands of kilometers away in Kerala, receives hundreds of calls a day.

“We receive hundreds of calls for help every day. Some people ask for help after being dissatisfied with the blockade. Some people are depressed and worried about the pandemic. “I told PTI.

DISHA floor manager Akhla explained the protocol and said, “We will talk to them first and then hand over the case to the mental health program personnel in each district.”

This is a pan-Indian problem that has grown and developed over the months.

Apollo TeleHealth clinical psychologist Tabassum Sheikh said, “When the lockdown began, the phone was associated with people facing work stress and problems with handling household chores. Since July, the phone has been It was about interpersonal issues, “Paric added, adding that struggling people need a support system and friends and family are the keys. He also said that those who are struggling should be free to ask for help.

Emphasis on professionals, advice on what to do before it’s too late