By Chasfeeda Shah
Amid the picturesque beauty of Jammu and Kashmir lies a silent crisis that afflicts minds and hearts. The growing number of people seeking psychiatric help marks both a warning and a glimmer of hope. With over 2.7 lakh patients treated at GMC Anantnag in the past five years and nearly two lakh at IMHANS (Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) Srinagar in just one year, the region stands at a crucial juncture in its battle against mental illness.
This surge in treatment-seeking is not merely a statistic but a reflection of a gradual yet vital shift. Awareness is rising, stigma is receding, and people are beginning to recognise that mental health care is not a luxury but a necessity. In Kashmir, where trauma, uncertainty, and displacement have become recurring realities, this understanding could not be more urgent.
Yet despite this progress, the scale of suffering remains staggering. Depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are tightening their grip, particularly on the young. The growing menace of drug addiction is eroding both potential and purpose, turning social distress into personal tragedy. The need of the hour is not just medical intervention but a compassionate community-based response that addresses both symptoms and causes.
Health experts have repeatedly underscored the importance of simple preventive steps such as maintaining physical activity, seeking timely professional help, fostering supportive social networks, and setting emotional boundaries. But these individual actions must be reinforced by systemic reform. Integrating mental health into primary healthcare, ensuring affordable therapy, and expanding outreach to rural and conflict-affected communities are indispensable.
Equally important is empathy towards patients, addicts, and anyone struggling silently. Punitive measures cannot heal what society fails to understand. Building resilience begins in families, schools, and neighbourhoods where compassion can replace judgement and understanding can replace shame.
The crisis may be immense, but so is the possibility for renewal. If Jammu and Kashmir can confront this silent epidemic with the same urgency it accords to physical or political crises, it can reclaim not only the health of its people but also their hope. The time to act is now, before silence becomes irreversible.
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