SRINAGAR: The continuing hartals and curfews due to the prolonged siege of the ‘Hazratbal shrine have brought into focus a depressing consequence of four years of armed militancy; an alarming rise in mental disturbances in Kashmir.

Neuroses such as acute anxiety, Stress and hysterical aliments have registered an increase in the Valley. People have even become psychotic and fallen into the state of insanity, irretrievably losing their mental balance.

The problem has been compounded due to the migration of half dozen non-Muslims mental health experts from the Valley, while the five or so that are left behind have their hands full.

Although there are no statistics to show the widespread effect militancy has had on mental health, doctor’s claim that four years back they would see about 10 to 15new patients a day. Nowadays, however, each doctor sees about 50 to 60 new patients. “It is impossible to cope with the situation,” says a doctor at the GHPD. The total number of old and new patients a ‘doctor might see in a day can go up to 200, making it impossible to even maintain proper records. And these include only those who can make it to the hospital or the doctor’s office. Because of the curfew or the hartal, many are left to their fate. Psychiatrists say many who suffer minor neuroses reason lo taking tranquilizers and antidepressants and that sales of such drugs prescribed or otherwise have rocketed during the past four years.

Professionals believe that the majority of the population has come to suffer from “morbid anxiety” due to the prolonged siege and its resultant curfews and hartals. Such people don’t need the inpatient facilities of the 125bed hospital for treatment (where they are put in a crowded, damp, smelly dorm with the seriously ill), but still need to be listened to “We don’t do them justice,” a harassed doctor told sources between patients.

Women seem to be the greatest sufferers. The majority of patients are female, with those in the 15 to 30 age group suffering hysteria, and those in the 30 to 45 suffering depression and anxiety. Furthermore, there has been an increase in the number of miscarriages and Premature, labor leading to complications, Again there are no statistics, because patients attending the maternity hospital in Srinagar have dropped considerably unable to make if to hospital due to curfew, crackdowns, or hartals.

However, reports reaching obstetricians and gynecologists say women, are relying more and more upon the traditional midwives. With anxiety induced early labor, however, the midwife is unable to cope with the complications (or perform episiotomy), leading to increased reports of foetal fatality and death of the mother.

Then there are the people who have driven insane. An expert talks of a young man who was picked up and interrogated. Two days after his disappearance, he was thrown out of a Gypsy near his home, When his relatives found him, he was babbling incoherently, Months later, he was still in the same state.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 19, 1993