Life in conflict: Deteriorating mental health among the youth in Kashmir valley

Pages: 489-491
Malik Roshan Ara (Department of Education, Government of J&K, Jammu and Kashmir)

Mental health and well-being is influenced not only by individual attributes, but also by the social circumstances in which individuals find themselves and the environment in which they live. The prolonged conflict in Kashmir has destabilized the lives of the people economically, socially and politically. The emotional and psychological impact of the resulting violence is deeply felt by all, irrespective of gender, age, occupation and location. Exposure to violence has had serious psychological ramifications. Insomnia, hopelessness, fear, anger, sadness, fatigue all creep in at some point. News of death of protesters or fake encounters further aggravate symptoms of depression. Mental health problems show an alarming increase coupled with psychological distress. This paper attempts to provide a review about the deteriorating mental health status of the youth of Kashmir valley and it also discusses the psychological, physiological and behavioral manifestations in detail, besides suggestion for possible rehabilitation measures are also discussed.