Bhopal: Medical students, civil service aspirants down with anxiety, sleepiness, drowsiness

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 25-year-old student preparing for civil services in the city is down with anxiety and lack of concentration. So, he sought advice from a psychiatrist. He wants some particular medicines to get rid of the problems.

In the same way, a 23-year-old taking final year examinations of MBBS is worried about sleepiness. He too wants such medicines so that he can perform better. These are not isolated cases, there are many such students taking medical and competitive examinations who are down with anxiety, sleep disturbance and lack of concentration. They are visiting psychiatrists and asking for particular medicines which help them to perform better in the examinations.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Satyakant Trivedi told the Free Press that a few students taking medical and civil services examinations approached him to prescribe medicines to get relief from such problems. “Even some of them literally tell the name of medicines and requested me to prescribe them,” he said.

The doctor said that he prescribes proper medicines in severe cases but in most cases, he solves the cases by counselling students. He said that there are no such medicines approved for enhancing memory power and alertness.  “And if they take the medicines without a doctor's consultation then they may have some side-effects and cause sleep and cardiac disturbance. It may increase their problems.” Telling them to avoid self medication, the doctor also recommends them to take proper sleep and follow a proper lifestyle.

Psychiatric RN Sahu said that first they assess the problems of the patients and thereafter treat them. “If they have severe anxiety then we prescribe medicines. We also informed them about stress management, relaxation and behavioural technique and suggested a proper diet,” he said, adding that they also do their attitude and aptitude assessment to check their IQ level. 

“We have received cases of anxiety, laziness, lack of confidence and concentration among the students who are preparing for civil services and PSC,” Psychiatric Ruma Bhattacharya said, adding that “We advise them to maintain a disciplined life and avoid screen time.”  “Find the cause, treat the cause, and not treat the symptoms. This is the thumb rule in medication and we follow this,” Dr Trivedi added.