Targeting one of the most serious issues prevalent in India, today’s Satyamev Jayate’s episode focuses on mental health problems. The episode started with describing how changes in child psychology occur following peer pressure and then moved on to common mental health problems like anxiety, panic attack, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

‘1 in every 4 individuals suffer from stress, anxiety or depression and about 40-50% of them never seek medical advice or treatment,’ said child psychologist and psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty on the show highlighting the magnitude of mental health problems in India.

Suicidal tendencies: The first person interviewed on the show was Mrs Veena Ali, whose daughter committed suicide due to peer pressure and stigma she faced after suffering from tuberculosis and appendicitis. Her deteriorating health gave rise to psychological problems that ended in suicide. India has a vast pool of individuals who are either impulsive, have poor problem solving skills or who have a very disturbing personal life. These problems triggers stress and moves to depression and suicidal thoughts. Chronic stress can cause an emotional turmoil that may contribute to suicidal thoughts. But suicides can be prevented with early psychological help and support, said Dr Harish Shetty.

Stress, Depression and anxiety: Dr Shetty highlighted that today’s competitive world has introduced stress in children’s life as well. At a very young age, children deviate from recreational activities and suffer from chronic stress. Under such situations, the brain seeks some way to escape the pressure, sadly in most people it’s suicide. As most people fail to deal with stress effectively, the brain sinks deeper into negative thoughts, resulting in behavioural changes that finally take a toll on their daily life. Stress is usually the primary cause of an internal imbalance that leads to depression and anxiety.

Schizophrenia: Psychiatrist Dr Sudipto Chatterjee highlighted the severity of schizophrenia. According to statistics provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO), almost 24 million individuals globally suffer from schizophrenia. Dr Chatterjee explained that people suffering from schizophrenia cannot distinguish the boundaries between real and unreal things. They hallucinate and live in an imaginary world. Although there is no single cause leading to the problem, psychosocial issues and family life play a crucial role in the onset and recovery of schizophrenics. 

Shraddha Rupavate