SRINAGAR: Health experts based in Srinagar have expressed deep concern over the deteriorating physical and mental health of the people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), attributing the distress to the brutal actions of Indian troops in the occupied region.
According to reports from Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the experts highlighted that the occupied territory is undergoing a severe escalation in symptoms of psychological distress due to the harsh militarization imposed by Indian forces. The Indian forces brutalities had led to a significant rise in mental health challenges, marking one of the darkest phases for mental well-being in the occupied region.
Increase in Mental Health Issues in Indian Occupied-Kashmir
A study cited by the experts revealed that since August 5, 2019, there has been a notable increase in depression, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, affecting 45% of Kashmir’s adult population in the occupied territory. They underscored the impact of the continued presence of Indian troops and mass arrests of civilians, leading to heightened trauma and anxiety among the Kashmiri residents.
The health professionals emphasized that the Kashmiri people are grappling with the trauma of living without their loved ones, who have either been martyred, imprisoned, or subjected to custodial disappearance by Indian forces and police. Furthermore, a significant number of pellet victims in occupied Kashmir are now experiencing depressive and panic disorders.
Mental health issues have become a major concern in occupied Kashmir. The health experts urged the international community to take notice of the worsening mental crisis in the occupied region. They emphasized that the only viable way to alleviate the physical and mental pain of Kashmiris is to find a just resolution to the Kashmir dispute.
