Effect of Counselling and Education in Reduction of Anxiety and Behavioural Change in Patients Admitted with Swine Flu.

Since late April 2009, Swine flu (H1N1) influenza has spread to different parts of the world including India. Public threat and anxiety was widespread, as was the change of certain behaviours in the lay public. We tried to tap the anxiety and adaptation of protective behaviours in case of the patients affected with H1N1 pre and post education and counselling about H1N1 in a nodal centre for treatment of H1N1. It was seen that both self-rated anxiety and anxiety scores measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) decreased by counselling and educating the patients about H1N1. A significant change of behaviour towards adaptation of protective behaviours was noticed after counselling and education in the ward. Post-hoc analysis showed a high degree of correlation with self rated anxiety scores and BAI scores. Change in behaviour also correlated with anxiety scores.

Cotard Syndrome — A Case Report.

Cotard’s Syndrome, is a very rare neuropsychiatric condition in which the sufferer holds a delusional belief that he or she is dead, does not exist, is putrefying or has lost his/her blood or internal organs. The syndrome is described to have various degrees of severity, ranging from mild to severe. It is seen in subjects with depression, schizophrenia and psychoorganic syndromes. The present case vignette is of a lady, who manifested the phenomenon of Cotard Syndrome in the background of depression.

Club drugs: review of the ‘rave’ with a note of concern for the Indian scenario.

'Club drugs’ which include Ecstasy, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), ketamine, and Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) have become popular with participants in ‘raves’, because they are perceived to enhance energy, endurance, sociability and sexual arousal. These drugs vary in their pharmacologic properties, physiological and psychological effects, and potential consequences. The use of club drugs by young people has increased in the last decade, and continue to get modified and evolve, making them very difficult to monitor. Further, these drugs are not picked up by routine drugs screening procedures, thereby making these popular with the criminals. India, which is in a phase of social transition, also faces this rising menace. Despite the nature and extent of this problem, this area has been under-researched. Data from India are sparse barring a few newspaper and police reports. Keeping abreast of current trends in club drug use prepares the clinician to recognize the clinical effects of club drug use, to manage club drug related emergencies, and to generate social awareness.