“That they [the elderly] are restricted to their homes with little social interaction and are active on social media that is bristling with pandemic-related forwards do not help. Media critic Sebastian Paul felt that a clear separation had to be made between social media and conventional media. In a pandemic situation, there needs to be a constant flow of credible and verified information, the absence of which could have disastrous consequences like what had happened during the Bengal famine. A mental health programme alongside the fight against the pandemic will serve the twin purpose of identifying those with mental health issues while reaching them the benefits of treatment without stigmatising them,” he said. Dr. Singh urged qualified mental health professionals to join hands with the government to enhance mental health alongside the battle against the pandemic.

Source: The Hindu April 27, 2021 18:11 UTC