Explained: How patients with mental illness shot up since COVID-19 outbreak in India

New Delhi, Mar 31: Patients with mental illness has shot up since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. In a survey that was conducted by the Indian Psychiatry Society, the rise in those suffering from mental illness is up to 20 per cent.

According to the survey, it is alleged that least one out of every five Indians is suffering from mental illness.

This survey comes amid the pandemic spreading across the world like a global disease, affecting the several people's lifestyle and the country's economy.

What the survey conveys about the mental illness?

The survey has revealed that an average increase of 15 to 20 per cent in such patients has occured in just a week after the crisis, which is alleged to be one of the causes of the increase in people with mental disorders.

Also, the lockdown has made people live in fear of losing their businesses, jobs, earnings and savings.

India Today quoted Dr Manu Tiwari, the Head of Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences in Fortis Hospital located in Noida, claiming that this is a rising graph and will have bigger implications in days to come.

Speaking to the media organisation, Dr Manu Tiwari said, "The lockdown has had a massive impact on the lifestyle of people. They are staying indoors with limited resources. They are now suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, and even alcohol withdrawal syndrome."

He further went on to say that unprecedented conditions and more vulnerable groups of patients are a big threat to the spread of this illness, especially with the patients not even realizing he/she has a disease.

Currently, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India has crossed 1,300, while the death toll rose to 43.

On Tuesday, Kerala reported its second COVID-19 death after a 68-year-old died in Thiruvananthapuram. The condition of the man was "extremely critical", a press release from the state-run Thiruvananthapuram Medical College and Hospital said.