Contrary to common belief, PTSD is not new to Jammu Kashmir. It has a long history. A case triggered by the 1965 war came to fore when the victim visited a psychiatrist recently.
Rafiq Ahmad (name changed) of Magarmal Bagh, Srinagar was eleven years old when India and Pakistan went to war on Kashmir for the second time. One evening a neighbor called on his father. “I have heard that this area will be set on fire tonite,” he told Rafiq’s father who was known for his bravery. Rafiq put his head in his father’s lap. He was terrified.
Prominent persons of the locality assembled in the house. Rafiq’s father had a 12 Bore gun which he brandished to encourage the people. Others brought axes and even shovels to resist the enemy. However, nothing happened in the area. Instead, a part of Batmaloo was torched after a couple of days by the army.
Rafiq never recovered although he completed his studies and went for some technical training to Bihar in early 70s. Last week he was taken to noted psychiatrist, Dr Arshad who has examined hundreds of PTSD cases. “This is the first reported PTSD case of Kashmir,” he said adding “till now we believed that it was a recent phenomenon mostly connected to the on-going conflict.”
Narrating his woeful tale, Rafiq said: “After the 1965 incident, I was never comfortable. I would take my younger brother along to the loo. I was scared in Bihar and wanted to come back but my father was strict. One day he wrote me a single sentence letter- `Do or die’. I somehow completed the training and got married.”
Rafiq told Dr Arshad that his father took him to renowned doctors, Ali Muhammad Jan and Dr Allaqband without results. “Finally I met Late Dr Beg and narrated my woeful tale to him. He prescribed some medicines but could not overcome my fears,” he said.
“And what scares you?” Dr Arshad asked. “If I die what will happen? If my house succumbs to a quake, what shall I do? If I get a heart attack, how can I survive? I stay worried all the time,” Rafiq replied.
Rafiq is scared of travelling in a plane. In 2001 he performed Hajj. He almost cancelled the pilgrimage for fear of travelling in a plane. His brothers somehow managed to take him to the airport.
The session with Dr Arshad was soothing. Rafiq smiled when told there was nothing wrong with him. However, there was a fair amount of sarcasm in his smile.