In India, the coronavirus pandemic has reached record levels in a recent survey that showed that one in every four people is so much stressed that he or she in reality requires medical intervention.

Every 2nd Indian is showing certain signs of anxiety, as revealed by the survey that was conducted on a web-based platform between April and May by the department of mental health and behavioural sciences at Max Healthcare, Saket. It included 1,069 individuals, from Delhi, Haryana UP and Maharashtra.

Director and head of the department, Dr Sameer Malhotra, who had led the project, said that 55% of the people who had participated in the survey that had met the criteria for significant anxiety symptoms and above one-fourth of them experienced significant depressive symptoms. Approximately 27% of the people had reported that the thought of self-harm or death had crossed their mind at least once whereas 3% of them had reported having such thoughts repeatedly.

The senior psychiatrist said that post-COVID lockdown, they were receiving distress calls continuously from families of people who were suffering from depression, anxiety and thoughts of self-harm.

TOI had recently reported the frequency of people rushing to the hospitals with self-inflicted injuries had gone up. AIIMS had received 23 cases of self-inflicted injury between April and July. At Max Patparganj and Max Vaishali hospitals, the doctors said that 40 cases of self-inflicted injury were reported between May to July.

The doctors said that frequency of self-inflicted injuries are risingdue to frustration because of reduced income, loss of job or domestic arguments. People who have lost their jobs or incomes have reduced drastically are being worst affected.

The doctors also said that they receive calls from several patients who get anxious about contracting COVID-19 and spreading it to their family members. The need for occupational and financial support mechanisms to prevent this crisis. Dr Malhotra said that companies should take certain measures to make their employees feel secure regarding their jobs and also offer few relaxation in working hours. The government should also think about relaxation in taxation and EMI schedules to ease the burden during these crisistimes.

A senior psychiatrist said that early identification of persons with known or underlying mental illnesses is very important. For the existing generation, it is the first such experience of a global pandemic. Those people who are able-bodied or able-minded should have a responsibility to support the susceptible ones. Physical activities, healthy communication and meditation are very essential for better mental health among people.

Source: The Times of India