NIMHANS researching link between urban life factors, mental health

Earlier in his talk — ‘Mindscape and Landscape’ — highlighting the history of NIMHANS, Prof Jain explained the link between surroundings and our mental health.

BENGALURU: While Bengaluru turned into a thriving urban metropolitan city in a span of just over two decades, the traffic, pollution and highly-stressful working hours have taken a toll on one’s mental health. To understand the nuances of the connection between these, the National Institute of Mental Health And Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) is currently researching this aspect, said Dr Sanjeev Jain, senior professor of psychiatry at NIMHANS. “Temperature, food and water shortage are all factors being looked at,” he told TNIE.

Earlier in his talk — ‘Mindscape and Landscape’ — highlighting the history of NIMHANS, Prof Jain explained the link between surroundings and our mental health. The senior professor spoke on how mental health was perceived during the colonial era. It was understood that architectural designs of mental asylums and social elements such as pets, a music room, drawing room, were all common features which were found to be valuable for mental health of the patients, Jain explained.

The history of the introduction of mental illness — in not only the then Mysore Kingdom, but the whole of India — started with the Bangalore Lunatic Asylum which was founded in 1847. The institute building which later became All India Institute of Mental Health (AIIMH) in 1954, was based on the blueprint of the Bethlem Mental Hospital in London. The gardens and lawns surrounding the hospital continue to exist even today. “This helped with the recovery,” Jain said.

Interestingly, there was no wall around the institute’s compound and people from outside used to walk near the building freely. However, that was a good sign because it also made patients feel inclusive,” he said. This was observed in 1935 when a Dr M V Govindaswamy joined as the Medical Superintendent of the Hospital and is till date credited with establishing an “open, model mental health care institution.”
In 1974, AIIMH and Mental Hospital were amalgamated to form NIMHANS.

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