Mental disorder cases on the rise

TNN 10 October 2009, 10:07pm IST
MYSORE: Mental disorder cases in the district are increasing. Reason: Mysoreans seems vulnerable to stress, anxiety, depression, family problems, alcohol and phobia.
Statistics by the district health authorities reveal that presently over 6,000 people are being treated for mental disorders in the district and the number is increasing every year, officials claim. The figure has gone up this year compared to last year. District mental health authority chairman Dr Vamadev says till July 2009, as many as persons were being treated for epilepsy, 407 for psychosis, 448 for neurosis and 864 mental retarded persons in the district. Mysore Medical College and research institute (MMCRI) is treating about 2,500 mental disorder patients and almost all of them are out patients, says MMCRI psychiatry department head Dr B N Raveesh. Epileptic patients and salcoholic are more prone to mental disorders and also women because of depression. Issues related to family are also making the number of cases of mental patients to rise, Raveesh stated. A doctor claimed shortage of human power, lack of availability of essential drugs and infrastructure are some of barriers preventing proper and effective treatment of the patients. Even the medical officers, anganawadi workers and teachers have to be sensitized to identify such cases to tackle the growing number of mental cases. The district health authorities observed mental health week by conducting lecture programmes on mental health in children, role of teachers and common mental problems in schoolchildren.