BENGALURU: The 34-year-old woman, recently married, was rushed to Columbia Asia Hospital in Hebbal after she consumed toilet cleaner. Amrita (name changed) was deeply depressed, having recently lost her husband in an accident. Her grief became so much to bear that she decided to end her life but has ended up instead with a badly damaged oesophagus.
Meanwhile, Amrita was rushed into the OT for emergency surgery, followed by ICU care. “Corrosive injuries of the aero-digestive tract are life-threatening, with short and long-term problems that require multidisciplinary team management,” says Dr Raghavendra, Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology, Columbia Asia Hospital. The doctors were dealing with a case that required multiple surgeries and dealing with a recurring chest infection. Amrita’s badly-damaged food pipe had caused a blow to her nutrition. She underwent one more surgery, where a part of her intestine was used to form a food pipe, which will help her resume her normal life. With constant support from her family.
Rushed lifestyles, hectic deadlines, consumerism – a number of causes have contributed to the mental trauma and psychological concerns so rampant in society today. While the causes and extents of illnesses like depression and anxiety may vary from person to person, the role played by society and family is crucial to ensure that the patient doesn’t lose the will to live, say city doctors.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 800,000 people commit suicide each year. About one-eighth of these are Indians. As of 2015, the rate of suicide in Karnataka rose 17.4 percent, while statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau state that 35 in every 100,000 people in Bengaluru suffer from depression that leads them to suicide. Another study stated that two out of every five women who commit suicide globally are I ndian.
Doctors point out that handling stress, or emotions is a major issue in society and family support, they emphasise, is of the essence. “One should think twice before taking such extreme steps and those close to them should be vigilant enough to spot changes in behaviour, so that help is timely.”
Experts also stated that if one is stressed then talking to them, consulting a psychologist or trying some relaxing techniques such as yoga or meditation acare always helpful and it is important that a collective effort is undertaken to prevent this silent epidemic from spreading its grip.
