City registers rise in cases of mental disorders: Study

315 people surveyed reportedly suffered from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Vasudha Zora | NT

Bengaluru: The issue of mental health in India has been increasingly acquiring an epidemic proportion resulting in physical and multiple mental disorders. This has been the perception of experts currently serving in the country’s mental health services sector.

The city of Bangalore is too not far behind as it registers a rise in the problem as many youngsters coming from various states to Silicon City are going through mental health disorders. Some indulge in substance abuse and tend to display delusional behaviour in their bid to deal with the issue.

As per a study conducted on 25 Paying Guest accommodations under the eight zones of BBMP and their 315 occupants comprising individuals in the age category of 18 to 39 years, it has been found that three major types of mental health disorders affected these youths.

These mental disorders included depression and anxiety, severe disorders bordering on illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and substance use disorder due to abuse of drugs, alcohol and nicotine, responsible for inducing anxiety and panic attacks.

Dr Raghunath CN, Consultant Pediatrician and Pediatric Intensivist, Sagar Hospital said, “Most of these disorders exist because many parents do not spend one on one time with their children, this also affects their developmental pattern, most of them are exposed to a lot of screen time.”

He also explains that parents, grandparents and teachers should offer their support as friends, many children at a tender age tend to get indulged in bad company. Many children do reach out to their parents but are too afraid to face them if the reaction from their end is not inviting.

This exposes the child to delinquent behaviour and also keeps them in an environment where they are constantly harassed. Parents should not set strict boundations or lay out a boring timetable, instead they should talk walks with their wards, provide them with sex education and life skills, he said.

The doctor further explains that the use of substances are done for many reasons, in order to gel with the crowd, the peer pressure succumbs many, some use it as a whim of independence being experienced for the first time and some have enough money to keep buying the substance for abuse. This behaviour arises when their guides or birth givers are not aware of their activities as being a youngster has its confusion based on their transitions from adolescence to adulthood.

The doctor acknowledges the role evolution has played in upgrading the modern lifestyle. "Indians are still unaware of the concept of work-life balance and so these mental disorders will keep growing. The only way is to spend more time with yourselves and the ones close to you."