MANIPUR, India: Renowned psychiatrist Dr. RK Lenin emphasized that the ongoing crisis in Manipur has led to mental health issues affecting one out of every eight individuals in the state.
He made these remarks during the World Mental Health Day observance, centered on “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right,” held at RIMS OPD Block in Imphal. The event was organized by the Department of Psychiatry at RIMS.
Dr. Lenin, who also serves as a professor in the Psychiatry department at RIMS, pointed out that before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 13 out of every 100 people in Manipur faced mental health challenges. However, these figures quintupled in the aftermath of the pandemic.
He noted that while the numbers were alarming, the number of patients seeking treatment remained disappointingly low.
The fear of societal stigmatization and a lack of awareness about mental health problems were primary factors contributing to this trend. Dr. Lenin stressed the importance of proactive roles played by friends, family, and individuals themselves in addressing this issue.
He encouraged people to explore the mental health facilities provided by various medical institutions and educate themselves about mental health issues if they wished to access such treatments.
Dr. Lenin emphasized that true physical well-being is incomplete without mental fitness; these two aspects are intertwined and interdependent.
Furthermore, he highlighted that modern society’s increasing pressures and evolving lifestyles were significant factors contributing to the rise in mental health problems.
The event was attended by RIMS Medical Superintendent N. Sanjib, RIMS Director G. Sunil Kumar Sharma, HOD of the Department of Psychiatry at RIMS, S. Gojendra, and doctors and nurses from the institute.
In another part of the region, the Department of Sports Psychology at the National Sports University also observed World Mental Health Day at the University’s Multipurpose Hall in Khuman Lampak.
Professor Ningthoujam Debala from the Department of Sport Psychology emphasized the importance of mental fitness for enhanced sports performance. She also mentioned that the department’s faculty organized recreational activities at the relief camps in Khuman Lampak to help camp inmates alleviate stress and trauma.
In Imphal East, Dr. RK Lenin reiterated that the ongoing conflict in the past five months has likely impacted the mental health of every segment of society.
He emphasized that Manipur exceeds the national average regarding mental health issues, as per the National Mental Survey of 2015, but the state lacks sufficient mental health institutions to address these concerns. The ethnic conflict unfolding in Manipur may further exacerbate mental health problems in the state.
