ISLAMABAD: A report released by the Kashmir Institute of International Relations (KIIR) has revealed that Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir have severely affected the mental health of the Kashmiri population.
According to the report, mental health is closely linked to living conditions and the protection of fundamental human rights. During the over three decades of armed conflict, more than 100,000 people have lost their lives. The report also documents over 8,000 cases of enforced disappearances in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Referring to the revocation of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, 2019, the report states that the region experienced a prolonged curfew and one of the longest internet shutdowns in history following the constitutional changes.
Research cited in the report indicates that 45 percent of adults, approximately 1.8 million people, are suffering from psychological distress. Depression affects 41 percent of the population, anxiety 26 percent, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 19 percent. Nearly 47 percent of surveyed adults reported experiencing severe traumatic events.
The report further reveals that between 22 and 27 percent of children aged 8 to 14 suffer from psychological disorders. Suicide attempts increased by more than 250 percent between 1994 and 2012.
Despite the alarming situation, only around 10 percent of mental health patients have access to treatment. According to the 2011 census, Jammu and Kashmir has a population of approximately 12.5 million, yet the entire region has only 41 psychiatrists, most of whom are based in Jammu and Srinagar.
Mental health services remain largely confined to Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and SKIMS Hospital. Across 10 districts, there are only 140 psychiatric beds available. The province has just five to six district-level consultants.
The Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) reported more than 77,000 mental health patients during 2020. Dr. Arshad Hussain also highlighted a rise in anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Family Health Survey indicates that 61 percent of women in the region report reproductive health issues, compared to the national average of 39 percent.
A study conducted by SKIMS found that 65 to 70 percent of patients suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) also experienced psychological disorders. At SMHS and the Government Psychiatric Hospital, approximately 75 percent of daily patients are women.
In addition, 91 percent of widows surveyed in the Valley said they had not considered remarriage. The report mentions the case of 15-year-old Ishtiaq Ahmad Khanday, who was killed on June 29, 2010. His mother, Jamila Bano, was later diagnosed with depression and PTSD.
The report describes IIOJK as an “open-air prison” under prolonged security restrictions and calls for urgent international attention to address the humanitarian and mental health crisis in the region.
