'64 pc college students in Delhi experience symptoms of

Over 64 per cent of college-going youths in the national capital reported experiencing symptoms of depression and mood fluctuations while 17.8 per cent claimed to be getting thoughts about self-harm and suicide, a recent survey has found.
The survey on "Emotional Health and Psychological Well-being", conducted by Cosmos Institute of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences (CIMBS) among college students of Delhi, was released today at IMA House here ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10.
As per the survey, over 51.6 per cent of the total 500 respondents complained of having anxiety symptoms, 34 per cent of female students and 15.7 per cent of male students reported having sleep disturbances, and 51.8 per cent students complained of feeling overburdened by academic pressures and uncertainties in career.

The aim of this survey was to screen and identify common psychological health issues amongst college-going students.
"In recent times, with rapid transition in the socio- cultural scenario, an upward trend has been seen in young individuals seeking help for depression and anxiety.
"Anxiety symptoms include feeling excessive uneasiness and apprehension about future events, feeling 'on the edge', and bodily symptoms like experiencing palpitations, trembling of hands, uneasiness while breathing, unpleasant sensation in the stomach, excessive sweating, etc. It is important to understand when these symptoms need medical attention and seek timely help from professionals," said Dr Sunil Mittal, senior psychiatrist and chairperson of CIMBS.

Noting that there has been an alarming rise in the number of suicides among students, Dr Shobhana Mittal, consultant psychiatrist at CIMBS, said that there is a paramount need to identify students with suicidal tendencies and offer timely help.
"There is also an impending need to promote life skills amongst college students for coping with stressful life events and prevention of suicide," Mittal said.