Tag: Mental Health

‘Mental Wellbeing is a Huge Concern in Rural Kashmir Today’

By LokMarg

Dr Lubna Khan, a Kashmir-based physician, educator, counselor and writer for over 18 years, shares her working experience in rural parts of the Valley. Her story in her words:

I have been engaged in social work in Kashmir for many years, starting from my childhood and continuing throughout my professional career. My journey began during my school years at the Presentation Convent, Srinagar, where my parents instilled in me the values of helping the less fortunate. As a Medical Officer specializing in maternal and child health, my opportunities to serve the community expanded. I started by serving in remote and rural areas of Kashmir, where I observed the plight of women facing health issues due to conflict and lack of medical facilities.

This experience drove me to initiate social activism focused on addressing health and mental health challenges. I began conducting health camps, particularly for women and children, and addressing their mental well-being. As my efforts gained recognition, I founded an NGO called Support Trust, which allowed me to collaborate with various organizations such as WHO, UNICEF, and the United Nations. I extended my work to encompass mental health awareness, women’s empowerment, ‘disaster-medicine’, and economic upliftment.

I actively participated in relief efforts during the devastating floods of 2014 in Kashmir, organizing and conducting 72 health camps in collaboration with the Reliance Foundation. My involvement in disaster- medicine became pivotal, and I collaborated with organizations like Saving Lives Birmingham to conduct workshops and conferences on disaster management. This work expanded to earthquake-stricken Nepal, where I contributed to post-disaster management efforts.

In addition to my urban initiatives, my team extended our reach to rural areas, collaborating with the Indian Army under the Sadhbhawna initiative. We provided counseling to students and orphans, emphasizing on mental health and personal development. Our efforts weren’t confined to health; we also worked on empowering women, artisans, and vulnerable populations.

The impact of our social work in contemporary Kashmir has been significant. Through our initiatives, we have addressed critical issues affecting the lives of ordinary people. By conducting health camps, we have provided access to healthcare for those in remote areas who previously lacked it. Our focus on mental health awareness has helped reduce stigma and increased understanding, leading to improved, psychological well-being. The workshops and conferences we have organized, often in collaboration with international organizations, have brought vital knowledge and resources to the region.

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Our work during the floods of 2014 showcased the resilience of our organization and highlighted the importance of disaster management in a conflict-ridden region. Collaborations with organizations like Saving Lives Birmingham have brought expertise and support, elevating disaster-medicine awareness.

Moreover, our efforts in women’s empowerment have contributed to enhancing the social and economic status of women in urban and rural areas. By aiding artisans and providing opportunities for self-employment, we have worked to alleviate economic hardships.

I have extensively worked in rural Kashmir, and the experiences have been enlightening and transformative. My initial exposure to the challenges faced by rural communities, especially women, fueled my determination to make a difference. Lack of access to healthcare, compounded by the region’s conflict, created a dire situation. Through health camps, mental health awareness programmes, and workshops, we have addressed long-term and pressing, contemporary concerns.

Collaborating with the Indian Army’s Sadhbhawna initiative allowed us to extend our reach even further. Counseling students and orphans, providing mental health support, and facilitating personal growth have been rewarding endeavors. Establishing connections with local communities and witnessing positive changes in their lives has been humbling and motivating.

Our work in rural areas has not been limited to healthcare alone. Empowering women through economic initiatives and supporting artisans to sustain their livelihoods has had a direct impact on improving the quality of life in these regions.

As I reflect on my journey, it’s evident that the impact of our work in rural Kashmir has been profound. We have bridged gaps in healthcare, offered psychological support, empowered individuals, and fostered a sense of community resilience.

In conclusion, my journey as a medical officer, social activist, and advocate for change has been deeply fulfilling. From my childhood values to professional endeavors, I have been committed to serving the people of Kashmir, especially in rural areas. The impact of our work is visible in improved healthcare access, heightened mental health awareness, disaster-preparedness, and women’s empowerment.

While we have achieved much, there is still a lot of work to be done. I, therefore, extend an appeal for collaboration from professional organizations and NGOs, in India and abroad, so that we can continue our mission of positive transformation for the ordinary people of Jammu and Kashmir.

(The narrator is an International Resource Person for Women’s Empowerment and Disaster Medicine and has contributed to various organizations and initiatives. Her work as a Medical Officer in the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, and her affiliations with institutions such as the Pune International Marathon, Pune Athletic Amateur Association, and Rotary Club, Birmingham, UK, showcases her commitment to community service.)

As told to Amit Sengupta

China's Strict Covid Lockdowns Affecting Mental Health | Lokmarg

China’s Strict Covid Lockdowns Affecting Mental Health

By LokMarg

The lockdowns imposed by the Chinese government for controlling Covid-19 is proving dangerous for its own citizens, and millions of citizens are suffering from critical mental health issues, Geopolitica.info a study center on geopolitics and international relations reported.

After the nationwide protests led by students and youth of China, the country has relaxed the lockdown in some places still there are places that suffer harsh Covid restrictions. Geopolitica reported quoting a World Health Organisation report that 54 million people in China experience depression and about 41 million suffer from anxiety disorders because of Covid measures.
Wuhan, the city where Covid-19 was first detected has observed a 79 percent hike in suicides during the first quarter compared to the previous year. In a survey, more than 40 percent of people were found at risk of mental depression after the imposition of the lockdowns in the city in April this year Geopolitica quoted a report from The Economist.

Even the internet searches related to mental health, done by people on Baidu, a Chinese search engine had risen by 253 percent Geopolitica said citing The Economist report. The issues cannot also be addressed by the medical facilities available in the country. According to Geopolitica, the total number of certified psychiatrists in China is more than 40,000, indicating less than 3 psychiatrists per 100,000 population. And most of these psychiatrists work in the developed eastern coastal region of China, leaving the treatment gap for mental disorders in the country’s western and central areas.

However, the Chinese authorities give a totally different counterargument for the harsh Covid restrictions. They pointed out the low pandemic-related death numbers because just 15986 people died because of Covid infections compared to the 6.6 million people worldwide. Although, according to estimates by the Japanese investment bank Nomura, about 412 million people had to suffer some kind of lockdown in China by the November end. That is almost one-third of the Chinese population.

All the lockdowns not only affected the mental health of the people but also limited their access to healthcare and food in cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Wuhan where authorities doubled down their efforts to curb Covid spread by sealing up buildings and locking down areas, according to Geopolitica.

During the lockdowns in Shanghai, many schoolchildren were not allowed to go home. Even 15-year-old children were forced to isolate themselves at hotels. They did have anyone to take care of them and they did not have anyone to talk to making them get struck with extreme isolation. Geopolitical quoted a report from Current Psychology, a US journal, around 20% of Chinese junior and senior high school students in lockdowns experienced suicidal ideation. And Fudan University survey of around 4,500 young people conducted earlier this year showed that some 70% of students expressed varying degrees of anxiety. (ANI)

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‘Lockdowns, Covid Took A Heavy Toll On People’s Mental Health’

By LokMarg

Bhavika Mehta, 25, a psychologist from Bhiwani (Haryana), lists some of the cases she came across amid the pandemic and how she dealt with them

The pandemic has been tough on everyone, more so on the sections and individuals who were vulnerable when it came to mental health even before the pandemic. As a psychologist, I feel that the pandemic has amplified all pre-existing issues including mental health. For the past six months I have been providing free counselling to people reaching out to me. My aim is to help people find some semblance of certainty and peace amid the pandemic

I meet people who are worried about job loss or have already lost their jobs to those dealing with issues regarding their sexuality. Then there are people who have not been able to cope with the passing away of loved ones due to pandemic. There is also the issue of people finding it difficult to manage their emotions while being cooped up in their homes during lockdowns. So far I haven’t received any long Covid cases but I am confident I will be able to help people battling with its impact.

I helped a young boy around 20 who had lost his job as a security guard and was finding it difficult to find a new job because he used to stammer. I counselled him to focus on his strengths rather than his weaknesses and get him enrolled in a free computer class. I told him only his typing speed would matter, and not his speech.

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I also helped a girl with gender dysphoria issue. She is 21 and recently married and had seen a lot of violence against women as a youngster. The pandemic made it even more difficult for her to process her emotions. Her parents wanted to take her to tantriks etc but I intervened. The girl has been improving steadily.

Mehta says rise in domestic violence during lockdowns affected the children the most

Then there is a woman who has been finding it difficult to handle the death of her father and feeling listless. There was also a case when all family members’ nerves were stretched to the extreme and the mother went completely silent because of incessant bickering that would take place in the house.

I feel deeply for the young children caught in the pandemic, kids who watch their parents fight day in and day out due to lockdowns. The pandemic is so new and uncertain that no one knows how to deal with it and parents find it difficult to translate their concerns properly to their children. Moreover, kids find it extremely difficult to handle lockdowns, since they can’t go out and play.

I believe we all need to display empathy if we want a mentally healthy society. On an objective level the pandemic has been dreadful, but if we take a subjective look, it has forced us to be ourselves; to bring out our real personalities to the fore. Most importantly, we have to accept the pandemic and even when it becomes endemic, we need to take care of our mental health.

I am happy that during the pandemic many people have begun taking mental health seriously and the judgement or stigma around it has lessened. And while we are at it I would like to say that mental healthcare professionals shouldn’t forget to take care of their own mental health. We all need to live in the present and breathe slowly, that is the very essence of good mental health.

Mental Patient’s Caregiver

Trauma Of A Mental Patient’s Caregiver

By LokMarg


Sonali*, 30, recalls with horror the day her mother turned a complete stranger to her. Being the only caregiver to her mother, her young shoulders were burdened with the responsibilities of managing an entire household along with taking care of her younger brother.

Her story.  I am 30 now but I keep going back to the 13-year-old me, time and again. The girl who didn’t know what to make of the sudden changes in her mother’s behaviour. My doting mother had suddenly turned into a stranger. I desperately needed my father to make sense of the situation but he was away, fighting the country’s enemies at the border while I battled the invisible demons at home.

I didn’t know that my mother was suffering from schizophrenia. I blamed and doubted myself for my mother’s sudden anger issues. She had stopped taking care of the house and was least bothered about me and my younger brother. I wondered if she was unhappy with me or the new place we had shifted to. Confused and anguished, I trudged on with the household chores which included taking care of my brother, who was seven at that time.

I remember waking up with cold sweats in the middle of the night. There were days when I was worried that one day my mother would fail to recognize us. My father desperately tried to leave the army and get a regular job but to no avail. For three years, things were chaotic and I was left all alone, managing between school and home.

I have no memory of how I spent my life from age of 13 to 16, perhaps I have repressed those memories inside the deepest recesses of my being. If someone asks me how I managed school and home together, I just don’t remember. The only thing I remember very vividly is that for long stretches Maa wouldn’t let us go to school for fear of being alone (paranoia). The maximum we went without going to school was three months.

Not only did I have no one to talk to at home, even my friends at school were drifting away. This was the loneliest phase of my life. Besides the mental trauma, it was physically exhausting. I have a bad case of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and dysmenorrhea, which means I suffer immensely during my periods. It is so bad that many a times I have been hospitalised.

And it has been like this right when I first started menstruating. And throughout this my mother wasn’t there to comfort me and help me through the transitions that my body was undergoing. Our family came together, when my father was finally posted in Delhi. My father had no one to help him out and he too suffered the way I did. Things finally looked up for me, when I left home to live in a hostel in a far-off city to pursue my graduation.

My father would still sometimes be posted in remote locations, but my brother was now capable of looking after mom. I finally found people I could open up to. They were my best friends –my soul sisters, as I call them. Their company made up for the years I spent in loneliness. My nightmares finally stopped. It was during my hostel days, that I gathered all my courage and finally started living for myself.

By then my mother had been diagnosed and I finally stopped blaming myself for my mother’s behaviour. I realised that I could still share my emotion but it was Maa who had lost the capacity to love. This gave me a sense of closure. I completed my post-graduation. It was full of amazing experiences, which have today led me to a successful career in the marketing sector.

I also love being the fashionista that I had always dreamt of being since childhood. A girl needs her parents the most during adolescence, but I had nobody to talk to. I shared my story so that children of people, who suffer from mental illnesses can find the much-needed support.

I am still not aware of any support groups operating for caregivers of patients suffering from mental illnesses. But they are very much, the need of the hour. Also, if I can weave a beautiful life despite the initial hurdle and be the master of my own destiny, so can others. *(Name of the narrator was changed on request)