Devashish Konar MD Consultant PsychiatristMental Health Care Centre West Bengal

CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY IS LIKE SEEING THE TIP OF

ICEBERG AND MISSING THE BODY

Psychiatry is growing at a good pace. At present it is mainly clinic based or at the most hospital based. Clinical

Psychiatry is just a small slice of total psychiatric services that is really needed. There are other issues where only

greater participation can make some dent.

NEED FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION

Treatment of vagabond psychiatric patients who are seen still wardening must be planned. India is not such a poor country now where you expect to see these psychiatric

patients wandering, who are after all not in a big number. It is just a matter of slight social will power which can suffice

in taking care of these unfortunate human beings.

VAGABOND LUNATICS STILL ON ROAD

The other is malnourishment of expecting mothers and children which is cause of a substantial portion of total

psychiatric patients. This again can not be tackled at clinic level. Society has to have community based programs to control this. Again is India really so poor a country which can not feed its children? Matter is again of social will-

power.

MALNOURISHMENT: THE GREATEST OFFENDER

Then there is no awareness about proper parenting. Parenting is the most important task of ones life which is

hardly ever discussed and is done mostly by instinct whether rightly or wrongly. Parenting will always be instinctive because it is a biological drive but even

biological drives need to be controlled with training. Bad parenting may be cause of lot of sufferings to children. This

again is a public health issue.

 

AWARENESS ABOUT PARENTING

Apart from clinical psychiatry you need to have good counseling centers which can tackle marital disharmony,

family conflicts, children with academic and other behavioral difficulties and people who are not able to

manage their stress. This too can prevent lot of psychiatric illnesses.

PREVENTIVE COUNSELING

Supporting people who come as refugees during different social turmoil or even taking care of migrants for different

reasons like jobs and education will decrease lot of psychological miseries and go a long way in preventing

psychiatric illnesses.

MIGRATION ISSUES

Drug abuse is a huge issue where social involvement can really prevent the adolescents from getting into the trap of

psychiatric illnesses.

DRUG ABUSE: A MAJOR CULPRIT

Let clinical psychiatry flourish and actually it needs to. Till date, in our country, clinical psychiatric services are less than bare minimum. But other issues which need social

handling can not be downplayed.

NEED FOR SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT

After all there are two primary issues for a developed and sane society. One that it should be able to look after those

who are left behind due to disease or disability and the other is that it should take steps to prevent disease and

disabilities.

STEPS TOWARDS BEING CIVILISED

So let the government and NGOS’ come together and find out ways and means to tackle the issue of prevention in

psychiatry. I think professionals will be more than happy to extend their support in planning and execution of this noble

job. They know about the problems but do not have the infrastructures to make any headway and they are in search

of people who are ready to take up the cause.

LET US ALL DO IT TOGETHER

So let the society come forward and make a roadmap so that we don’t see psychiatric patients on road, feed our

hungry would- be- mothers and children and give children a happy future to look up to with better parenting and give support to the distressed. If we do this real important job

then only we will have right to boast of India emerging as a developed country leave alone superpower, elephant power and other ornamental words. Till children are underfed and

ill people are on road without care, we should hang our head in shame. For self esteem, high talks may be important but lack of insight is akin to insanity.

LOOK INTO YOUR SOUL AND COME FORWARD