The psychiatric counseling to people in quarantine centers is proving helpful in mitigating their problems, authorities said on Wednesday.
A statement said with the deputation of two psychiatric Medical Officers to the Control Room, the specialists are busy in counseling and listening to young and old, men and women quarantined in different centres as well as at home.
“Each case consumes at least 20 minutes on phone and an average of six to 10 cases are being handled each day,” said Dr Lateef Ahmad, a psychiatrist MO.
The statement said the fear of corona was deeper than the disease itself and again the stigma of being declared as positive was the “final killer” where the necessary support and counseling of friends and relatives around was of utmost importance.
It said patients with Anxiety Neurosis, Depression, OCD’s, Bipolar Disorder and Hypochondriasis were 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,” said the statement.
It said 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 once the corona pandemic was 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 counseling to the even least affected persons.