‘Mental health issues are real…we have to be sensitive, cannot afford to look away’

The psychiatry departments at PGI and GMCH-32 have seen an increase in patients in all age groups, including healthcare workers, seeking help and treatment. COVID-19 It has also opened up many discussions of mental health, with a series of studies focusing on how the pandemic has posed a threat to the physical and mental health of doctors and how it is influencing their levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

GMCH-32 and PGI have systems and programs in place to assist and reach out to new MBBS students and residents, and help them cope with the new environments, academics, and other pressures of a career college. GMCH-32 has an apprenticeship center for students to seek help from psychiatrists and psychologists from the Department of Psychiatry. “We run a basic course for new students on stress management and also let them know who to turn to in case of need,” says Dr. Priti Arun, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, GMCH-32.

The hospital has also curated and conceptualized a mentoring program, as part of which a mentor, a faculty member, is assigned to students when they enter university and he/she keeps in touch and provides support and help. The pandemic, adds Professor Arun, has been an extremely stressful period and caused a high level of anxiety among students.

“Not everyone is cut out for online classes. Interactions with teachers, fellow students, and the outside world are paramount to a person’s mental growth. A college campus isn’t just about academics, it helps you learn about life in general. In these times, it is important that as people we reach out to each other. Some people can communicate, others can’t. As parents, teachers, friends, and family members, we must be sensitive to the needs of others and not ignore the warning signs. Only when a person feels completely helpless and alone does he take the extreme step of taking his own life. As a society, we need to be aware of mental health issues and provide support,” adds Professor Arun.

City Psychiatrist Dr. Nitin Gupta, a former faculty member of the Department of Psychiatry, GMCH-32, says that while support systems and programs at medical schools struggle to provide assistance to new students, the problem is how much a student is willing to share, both personal and professional. “Many studies show that medical students face stress, depression, low self-esteem, and providing support in a new environment, away from family and friends, is paramount. AIIMS-Delhi has a 24-hour open cell, where students can seek help and their anonymity and confidentiality is maintained. However, mental health morbidity does occur. At GMCH-32, Professor BS Chavan, head of the Department of Psychiatry, had established an occupational wellness center for students, and the phone numbers of psychiatrists were distributed to students. The effort must be to provide assistance so that mental health problems do not develop and we need a collective effort to do so”, adds Dr. Gupta.

Dr. Rahul Chakravarty, the new president of the Institute’s Physician Residents Association, PGI, MD in Psychiatry, and senior resident here, says the mental health of residents is the top priority and the need of the hour. “The suicide of a 21-year-old girl shows that as a society we are not sufficiently aware of mental health and we did not see that she was stressed. Clear markers should be identified and categorized, and friends should meet if someone in a group is unresponsive, seems quiet, distant, and not part of everyday life. The most important thing is to have a group of friends, communicate, share and, as parents and family, we have to encourage team play, communication, conversations and time for each other. The younger generation is isolated, alone and spends time only on mobiles. As people, we cannot ignore the signs and we can work towards a work environment where stress and anxiety can be reduced, with small changes and more understanding between colleagues; communication is key, as many problems can be solved by sharing. We need mental health awareness and practical ways to manage stress,” says Dr. Chakravarty.