Hyderabad: Unable to cope with the sudden change in currency post-demonetisation, people began suffering from depression, mania and panic attacks. Many of them even visited psychiatrists and psychologists and have been on medication since then.
Dr Pramod Kumar, a senior psychiatrist, says, “There were many first-time patients who could not cope with the sudden economic change that they were facing. Many of them were not able to come to terms with the losses that they would incur due to the change.”
Experts say that most sufferers came to them only months after the announcement of demonetisation, upon realising that were no longer able to cope with their mood swings.
Dr Minhaj Nasirabadi, the general secretary of the Hyderabad Psychia-tric Society, says, “Cases of mania and panic attacks were diagnosed two to three months after demonetisation when the situation, which was changing on a daily basis, culminated in intense attacks for many. Patients were brought to us by their family members who realised that there was something wrong based on their history. The treatment for such conditions involves a combination of therapy and medication which continues for a period of three months.”
The incidence of mania and panic attacks surged during the period of exchange of banned currency notes for new ones.
The large and numerous exchanges especially took a toll on intermediaries and people in the banking sector. Depression was noted to be prevalent among the owners and employees of small and medium business establishments due to the sudden losses incurred.
A senior psychiatrist, on condition of anonymity, says, “Many people could not express the trauma that they were undergoing because they were very scared.
They were not sure what was going to happen next. There was so much uncertainty for three months that most of them lived through a period of trauma which they could not explain. At a clinical level, they consulted with professionals only later, and unburdening took a long time.”
