Why is mental stress increasing among the soldiers?
The soldiers deployed in India's borders and internal security are under mental stress. A few days ago, a tragic incident of a CRPF soldier committing suicide after killing his two colleagues has come to light. Such incidents are coming to light every year, which shows the seriousness of mental health issues in the security forces. A study by the United service Institution of india (USI) has found that more than 50% of the soldiers are going through mental stress. This level of stress is very high and a matter of concern as it can affect the war preparation and morale of the soldiers.
This situation is arising due to many reasons, including frequent deployment to combat terrorism and extremism, separation from family, irregular working hours and inadequate support system. Non-operational factors such as differences with senior officers, lack of transparency in promotion, poor lifestyle and lack of recreational facilities are also increasing the stress of the soldiers.
Due to stress, problems like suicide, fratricide (attack on fellow soldiers), psychosis, high blood pressure and heart disease are increasing among the soldiers. This also increases the possibility of indiscipline in military units, dissatisfaction in training and inadequate maintenance of equipment.
In such a situation, it is important that the government and the army together take concrete steps to improve the mental health of the soldiers. This should include stress management programs, better counseling services, lifestyle improvements and effective mechanisms for redressal of grievances. Along with this, the leadership should also be sensitive and focus on building better relations with the soldiers so that they can openly tell their problems.
The study also found that long-term deployment against terrorism and insurgency is an important reason for this stress. The report says that soldiers have to face extreme weather conditions, difficult geographical conditions and long-term separation from family, which is seriously affecting their mental health.
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