the goan I network
PANAJI
According to Dr Shaheen, a psychiatrist at Margao’s Hospicio a majority of the cases she receives come from women with husbands suffering from alcoholism and engaging in smoking tobacco, as well as children that suffer from substance abuse.
“There are about 50 per cent with serious cases of depression that seek professional help, but the rest do not even come because of the stigma associated with it. Of the ones that do come, around 70 to 80 per cent of them are women between the age group of 25 years to 50 years,” she said.
The common thread among cases she receives includes stories involving husbands that consume alcohol and tobacco. She also points to a high risk among school and college going students from eighth standard and above that engage in drug use and have suicidal tendencies. Parents should talk to their children about the use of drugs and engage in talking to them about their day in class.
Sangath, which has been working in the field of mental health towards bridging the treatment gap formed due to it, attributes it to one in four people suffering from mental health illness, the majority of which includes depression.
“One in four people in the State suffer from mental health illnesses. Of these, there are between 75 and 90 per cent that do not even receive the required help. We at Sangath work towards bridging this gap that is therefore created,” said Sangath psychologist Urvita Bhatia.
Under the National Mental Health Programme, the number of patients seeking help has reduced over the last year.
