SOCIAL SERVICE STORIES - IT Department's visit to CIP, Ranchi

(This is an experience sharing article by a student, and has no intent of hurting sentiments of any group of people or society by any means. The names used are just to create a line of affection and attachment with the cause.)

Central Institute of Psychiatry - established on 17th May, 1918 is one of the largest Institutes in India in terms of research and facilities for psychiatry. Earlier it was called as the European Lunatic Asylum; in 1922 it was renamed as the European Mental Hospital.  It is built on a symmetrical area with 8 male wards and 6 female wards. Some of the wards are Maudsley ward, Krapelline ward, Conolly ward, Tuke ward, Cullen ward, Pixel ward, Morgagni ward and S.S.Raju ward.

On an average a total of 70,000 patients are admitted here annually from all over the country. It has a separate child ward for children suffering from psychiatric and neuron issues under the age of 0-18. Dr.D Ram is the current director of CIP. Dr.Varun who is currently pursuing his PhD has been serving there for four years now, and has graced us with being our mentor.

We as students of XISS were privileged to get an opportunity to visit CIP for field work as a part of our Social Service. By this visit we were able to know about various mental diseases of which the common ones are Hysteria, Schizophrenia, Multiple-personality, Hallucination etc.

We also interacted with few patients and tried to understand their mental health, we were informed interaction and normalcy leads to a positive impact around them. All the cases were peculiar and had an insight to it but there were few interactions that left us to think. One of the patients with whom we interacted was a drug addict and was getting treated there since 2013. This gave us a strong indication of how far and detrimental can usage of drug be, and its prohibition is the need of the hour. It was shocking for us to know about a patient named Sona, who held a B.Ed degree and was leading her life as a teacher, until she found she was suffering from split personality disorder. She aspires to continue her job in teaching once she is relieved from CIP.

These interactions helped us understand the value and importance of life at the same time also making us realize our responsibility towards our life and society. People who are involved in services of looking after patients, helping and serving them are doing a work of great worth. We as students are inspired to learn from them and do something for the society. We thank both XISS and CIP for giving us this unique experience and unique knowledge. We feel blessed to be active and be able to put forward our hands for serving the one in need through our subject matter of social work in XISS.

By-

Anisha Lohia
(Department of Information Technology)