How Mumbai's relentless monsoon can affect your mental health

Relentless rain does more than flood roads and delay trains For many Mumbaikarsdays of continuous downpours also bring mounting anxiety fear and emotional exhaustionParents worry about children stranded in schools commuters brace for chaotic journeys delivery workers navigate dangerous streets under pressure to meet deadlines while senior citizens living alone often struggle with isolation Constant exposure to images of flooded roads collapsing buildings and rescue operations on television and social media can further intensify stressTo understand how prolonged monsoon conditions affect mental health midday spoke to psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty a Psychiatrist at Dr L H Hiranandani hospital who answered some of the most common questions on monsoonrelated anxiety trauma and copingExcerpts from the interviewQ Does prolonged rain affect mental health If yes howIt does Especially with recent memories of multiple micro amp mini macro disasters happening all the time 2005 deluge death due to open manholes trees falling and house collapse add to the fear Rain can kill is a belief that Mumbaikars feelDr Harish Shetty PicFile PhotoQ How does daily commuting during heavy rain impact mental wellbeingThere is severe anticipatory anxiety of navigating streets traffic jams entering a crowded train reaching ones destination and returning home There is an adrenaline overdrive causing anger irritability and panic attacks Some suffer from learned helplessness this is a phenomenon and resign themselves to a fate that leads to longterm loss of confidenceQ Are delivery workers and other outdoor workers more vulnerable to stress during the monsoonYounger delivery workers view rain as fun and joyful Yet many get stressed by hawkish bosses and impatient irate clients The city is like a war zone where empathy and tolerance are casualties Yet few are kind to these boysQ How does continuous rain affect senior citizens living alone or indoorsHome alone with dark clouds and minimal human contact can cause Depression among the elderly When the morning walks stop jokes shrink with their peers gadgets become their only companion emotional fatigue insomnia bad moods and deterioration of preexisting physical illness can be a consequenceQ When concern becomes anxietyPast mishaps in rains can trigger intense fears in the present just by a meteorological report Old memories of kids stuck in school spouses stranded at railway stations can cause startle reactions and explosive anxiety in the present rain As a result parents may quarrel with each other as they displace their anxiety onto each other Intense anxiety can lead to anger causing major emotional storms at home Kids suffer thenQ Can watching disaster videos be harmfulThis can cause vicarious trauma just as when someone watches war videos repeatedly Many are addicted to the same The videos can penetrate the neurons and are stored along with the destructive feelings in the brain These agonising memories may spontaneously play in the mind with or without a trigger later I still see relatives of the victims of the 2005 deluge coming to me for PTSD longterm trauma Some lose meaning in life suffer from chronic depression and avoid the road where their loved ones diedQ Can survivors develop PTSDYes many do if no intervention is provided The state should provide free counselling for their negligence in many cases Mere compensation does not helpWarning signsgtgt Staying indoors even when rainfall is minimalgtgt Severe fear or panic attacksgtgt Depressiongtgt Low daytoday functioninggtgt Poor sleepgtgt Irritability and ragegtgt Lifestyle diseases worseningHow to cope during the monsoonDr Shettyrsquos advicegtgt Follow advisories issued by the government and BMCgtgt Avoid taking unnecessary risksgtgt Stay in touch with family and friends if strandedgtgt Share your feelings without guilt or shamegtgt Limit repeated exposure to distressing news coveragegtgt Practice slow deep breathing or pranayamagtgt Maintain regular sleep habitsgtgt Reduce excessive gadget usegtgt Seek help from neighbours local representatives police or government agencies if affected by floodinggtgt Senior citizens living alone should stay connected with family through phone or video calls and ask for help when neededgtgt Playing in the rain if allowed by the family doctor in safe conditions can bring down anxietyWhen should you seek professional helpConsult a psychiatrist or physician if you experiencegtgt Sudden behavioural changesgtgt Severe loss of sleepgtgt Panic attacksgtgt Excessive feargtgt Persistent anger or ragegtgt Very low mood or depressiongtgt Thoughts of selfharmgtgt Worsening of existing physical illnessesMental health and suicide prevention helplinesIf someone is in immediate danger of selfharm call emergency services 112 or seek urgent medical assistance24x7 supportTeleMANAS Government of India14416 or 18008914416Free 24x7 mental health counselling and supportAASRA91 98204 6672624x7 suicide prevention helplineSneha Foundation91 44 2464 0050Emotional support and suicide prevention servicesiCALL Tata Institute of Social SciencesHelpline 91 91529 87821Mon to Sat 10 am to 8 pm Email and counselling support are also available during operating hours