Kathmandu, May 2

Studies have shown that rural women are more prone to mental health problems in the country. Of the total mental health patients, 63 per cent are women and 37 per cent men.

Centre for Mental Health and Counselling Nepal published a report on the occasion of its 15th anniversary which shows that mental health problems are increasing among the women of rural areas.

According to the centre, it has been providing mental health services in 34 districts and as many as 49,012 people have already received treatment. Of them, 40 per cent were diagnosed with anxiety, 26 per cent with depression, eight  per cent with psychosis, 12 per cent with epilepsy, six per cent with conversion disorder and eight per cent with other mental health problems

Women become the victims of mental health problems mainly because of the workload at office and home, domestic violence and low self-esteem, among others, said Dr Kapil Dev Upadhyaya, chairperson at Centre for Mental Health and Counselling Nepal.

According to Saroj Ojha, head of Department of Psychiatry at Institute of Medicine, more than 100 patients visit the hospital for treatment of mental health problems.

“Most of the women who visit the hospital say they suffer from mental health problems because of domestic violence, lack of husband’s love and support, and dispute and misunderstanding with mother-in-laws or daughter-in-laws,” he added.

Speaking at the programme organised to publish the report, Dr Bhogendra Raj Dotel, director at Primary Health Care Revitalisation Division said the division had launched ‘Basic Health Service’ package specially for the patients of anxiety, depression and alcoholism.