AHMEDABAD: Recently, a frantic husband called 1100 telemedicine helpline complaining his wife is using a lot of water. "How is it a problem?" asked the attending psychiatrist. "Well, she empties the whole 500 litres of water tank daily. She washes the floor of the house three times a day and wipes clean all surfaces - cupboards, tables, storage boxes and even shoe racks-- to prevent coronavirus from entering our house"! He sought help when neighbours complained.
"The husband was at his wits' end as his wife did not allow entry to anybody inside the house without a rigorous disinfection regimen, walking on a designated path and taking a bath even if it was only stepping out to meet the neighbour," said Dr Ramashanker Yadav, psychiatrist associated with the helpline. The doctors cautioned her - she was exhibiting signs of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Since launch in mid-May, the 1100 helpline by the state government has received nearly 12,000 calls attended by psychiatrists and psychologists. Helpline co-ordinator Dr Ajay Chauhan, medical superintendent of Hospital for Mental Health (HMH), said the number of calls has declined as compared to lockdown by nearly 50%. "During lockdown, most callers complained of anxiety or sought information about Covid. During unlock, calls are serious in nature complaining depression, OCD and issues needing intervention," he said.
City-based psychiatrists say prolonged Covid-19 fear has triggered OCD in anxious people and worsened obsessive symptoms in existing patients. These include a man wearing a mask for 15 days even in his sleep and bath. "The man in his 50s said he read coronavirus spreads through air so he decided to wear a mask non-stop," says psychiatrist Dr Hansal Bhachech.
"A 40-year-old businessman's wife sought help after he started wearing PPE kit at home when one Covid-positive case was diagnosed in his society. The man said he was the sole-breadwinner and did not want to risk getting infected and jeopardizing his family," said Dr Bhachech. Another woman used two liters of sanitizer a day rubbing it in her hands and feet till the skin broke.
Psychiatrist Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav says fear of disease, death and battling disease is paramount in minds of people. While frequent hand washing is recommended, some are following it to extremes. "These are tough times and people need counselling to follow safety measures in moderation," says Dr Vaishnav.
"The husband was at his wits' end as his wife did not allow entry to anybody inside the house without a rigorous disinfection regimen, walking on a designated path and taking a bath even if it was only stepping out to meet the neighbour," said Dr Ramashanker Yadav, psychiatrist associated with the helpline. The doctors cautioned her - she was exhibiting signs of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Since launch in mid-May, the 1100 helpline by the state government has received nearly 12,000 calls attended by psychiatrists and psychologists. Helpline co-ordinator Dr Ajay Chauhan, medical superintendent of Hospital for Mental Health (HMH), said the number of calls has declined as compared to lockdown by nearly 50%. "During lockdown, most callers complained of anxiety or sought information about Covid. During unlock, calls are serious in nature complaining depression, OCD and issues needing intervention," he said.
City-based psychiatrists say prolonged Covid-19 fear has triggered OCD in anxious people and worsened obsessive symptoms in existing patients. These include a man wearing a mask for 15 days even in his sleep and bath. "The man in his 50s said he read coronavirus spreads through air so he decided to wear a mask non-stop," says psychiatrist Dr Hansal Bhachech.
"A 40-year-old businessman's wife sought help after he started wearing PPE kit at home when one Covid-positive case was diagnosed in his society. The man said he was the sole-breadwinner and did not want to risk getting infected and jeopardizing his family," said Dr Bhachech. Another woman used two liters of sanitizer a day rubbing it in her hands and feet till the skin broke.
Psychiatrist Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav says fear of disease, death and battling disease is paramount in minds of people. While frequent hand washing is recommended, some are following it to extremes. "These are tough times and people need counselling to follow safety measures in moderation," says Dr Vaishnav.
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