By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 27 Jun: On the occasion of International Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Day, 30 people benefited from a free health camp organised by Himalayan Hospital, Jollygrant. The department ran a campaign to raise awareness amongst people on this occasion.
Addressing the attendees at the camp organised by the Department of Clinical Psychology on Thursday, Department Head Dr Malini Srivastava stated that PTSD is a mental health disorder that develops in some people after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. This traumatic event can be life-threatening, such as war, natural disaster, car accident, or sexual assault. She noted that a year after the catastrophic floods caused by a cloudburst in Uttarakhand, a well-organised scientific study by the Clinical Psychology Department of Himalayan Hospital found that the sudden flood not only caused loss of life and property but also affected the mental health of the people enduring this tragedy.
Similarly, the mental state of people was also affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. This camp was organised to guide people towards better mental health.
Assistant Professor Mahjabeen emphasised the role of psychotherapy in dealing with PTSD symptoms. Many people suffering from PTSD do not seek psychological help due to the myth that talking about traumatic events will re-traumatise them. There is a need to spread awareness to curb these myths.
Dr Kanchan Dobhal mentioned that, in some cases, PTSD can persist for up to 30 years, severely impacting all areas of a person’s life.
During the event, people suffering from PTSD discussed their conditions. Divyanshu, Shivani, Vanya, Princess, Lakshmi, Arushi, Garima, and Dr Rashi from the department provided psychological counseling to the patients to help them overcome the traumas they shared.
