As chilling details emerge from the triple suicide in Ghaziabad and their complicated family history, we look at how such extreme steps can be avoided with help from Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr Vani Kulhalli.
Health matters: “Deterioration in mental and physical health, and personal hygiene is a sure-shot symptom,” reminds Dr Kulhalli. The activity (obsession with screen-time) becomes their most important goal, at the cost of sleep, food and other necessities. If you’re neglecting your hair, nails, exercise, and particularly, meals, it is worrisome.
Dr Vani Kulhalli
Withdrawal: Teens might find it challenging to engage with family, friends, or professional and educational responsibilities. Dr Kulhalli says, “There have been instances of skipping meals at night to avoid interaction. In another instance, a child spent all day standing outside in the sun, to access free Wi-fi in that spot, after his parents had restricted access at home.”
It’s everything: Dr Kulhalli mentions that obsession towards screen-time is clear if a person overtly expresses that their beloved game, content consumption, or digital activity, matters the most. “It becomes the sole meaning or engagement of life, without which the person cannot live,” she notes.
How to navigate it
Appropriate intervention from parents can actually get to the root of the issue. Representation pics/istock
For parents and friends:
>> Do not be forceful or hasty to control or change; that usually takes several months. Understand that the situation is delicate and caused by emotional problems
>> Stay around the person even if there is no actual interaction; the presence of a companion or family member is grounding
>> Listen calmly without answering or worse, reacting forcefully to any explanations given by the person for their extreme interest
>> If there is a reasonable demand, provide it without conditions; if harmful, decline gently but firmly
>> Seek help from mental health professionals; be open to care and medication if advised
Progressively spending more time on an online activity is a sign of poor mental health
For teachers:
>> Enquire about any student showing withdrawal, irritability, poor academic performance, irregular attendance or class discontinuation
>> Make a record of and escalate indications of a student in difficulty to parents and administration; use your discretion to ensure the student doesn’t spiral into further trouble
>> Do not shun students or speak ill of their background or family (even in justified cases, like parental neglect)
>> Maintain surveillance in class and be available to listen to the student if they need support
If escalation is unhelpful, reach out to Childline
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Tele MANAS
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