A number of people, affected by mental health issues, including anxiety, panic attacks and psychiatric disorders, are seeking attention. The devastating second wave of COVID-19 unleashed since April, had a number of people, affected by a range of mental disorders seeking medical help.
“We are seeing that everyone is affected, as they have either a close family member or friend infected, or would have lost some of them to the pandemic. People are affected by a series of disorders, and only some of them are seeking medical help. People complain of insomnia, panic attacks at night, brooding, and a sense of ‘learned helplessness’, and having to be a mute spectator, to the horrific scenes unfolding right in front of their eyes,” said senior psychiatrist D. Phanibhushan.
Dr. Phanibhushan said he had been treating patients on the lawn right in front of his residence by following social distancing protocols. Stating there was a sense of apathy and helplessness among the people, he suggested that the State government should make use of voluntary services of senior medical practitioners in these times.
“In 2020, the government utilised our services and I offered my free counselling to those calling from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well, and I suggest that the government should utilise our services this time too. Trained counsellors could offer counselling over phone numbers like 104 and district helpline phone numbers. A little bit of counselling can do wonders for the mentally affected persons. Since, most hospitals are now dedicated to COVID care, telephone counselling could be effective,” said Dr. Phanibhushan.
The suggested remedies include engaging the mentally affected people, talking to them, making them walk or do any mild exercise near their homes, treating with mild antidepressants, etc.
