While Kashmir is known for its naturally alluring features as well as its blood-stained history, the UT is facing a problem, which is much more sinister and it deals with the psyche.
As during the divergence, Kashmir has been suffering from multiple issues on the psychological level, which include exposure to violence, social exclusion, economic deprivation, and lack of medical facilities. It is indeed a crisis that requires an expeditious response, and one through the provision of basic health care services needs to be done in order for the region to recover.
The legacy of years of severe disparities, political tumult, and armed strife has had a far-reaching impact on the shared psychological framework of the subjects in the region.
In addition, the stigma attached to battling with mental illness prevents individuals from seeking help. Despite the availability of support, many people still consider mental health conditions to be a deficiency in character and thus, ignore it, resulting in further alienation of those who really need help.
As per some reports, Kashmir has the highest concentration of people suffering from depression, anxiety, and PTSD anywhere in the world. According to a 2018 study done by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), about 1 in 5 Kashmiris had some form of mental illness with women and the youth being susceptible.
Divergence and subsequent trauma may have caused Kashmir’s mental health crisis, but it was not limited to only that. The region also has a lack of sufficient mental health personnel and appropriate facilities.
The healthcare system of Kashmir is extremely ill equipped to cater to the burgeoning population’s mental health issues. The availability of psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors in the region is sporadic and those few who are present are often burdened with excessive cases and are not well prepared for the direness of the mental health problems.
The mental health facilities are out of reach for many, especially in villages where people do not even have a rudimentary understanding of mental health issues.
