Psychiatric Counseling proves fruitful in providing psychological support to quarantined

SRINAGAR, MAY 20: The role of providing Psychiatric Counseling is occupying greater space in the Corona Bind Mitigation Efforts by Control Room which was launched earlier this month at Old Secretariat, Srinagar
With the deputation of two psychiatric Medical Officers to the Control Room, the Specialists are busy in counseling & listening patiently to young and old men and women quarantined in various hotels, schools, EDI as well as at home .
“Each case consumes at least 20 minutes on phone and an average of 6-10 cases are being handled each day,” informed Dr Lateef Ahmad (Psychiatric MO).
The fear of corona is deeper than the disease itself and again the stigma of ring declared as positive is the final killer where the necessary support & counseling of friends and relatives around is of utmost importance.
Patients with Anxiety Neurosis, Depression, OCD’s, Bipolar Disorder, Hypochondriasis etc are being regularly encountered.
In a typical case of depression, a young female when declared positive developed palpitation, restlessness, chest discomfort, behavioral changes and aggressiveness, and in time psychiatric consultation has improved her condition and now she has been declared negative which resulted in improvement of other symptoms also.
Advising or providing psychiatric counseling to the public in general and persons undergoing administrative as well as hospital quarantine in particular seems now to be a long drawn process even after once the corona pandemic is gone.
Exhorting the Nodal Officers of various Quarantine, Wellness centers, social workers and all Corona warriors Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang Pole encouraged and expressed satisfaction for providing such a counseling to the even least affected persons -such that society in general remains in high spirits for long time to come