The rich heritage of Indian mythology has been very little explored and used in psychotherapy in India. The present article deals with the story of Hanuman. How he lost the knowledge about his power to fly due to a childhood curse by Rishis and how he regained his powers when reminded by Jambavan during a crucial mission in search of Queen Sita, is the subject of author's description of Hanuman complex and its resolution. The author has often used this story in helping patients in psychotherapy as well as in teaching medical doctors and trainees in psychiatry. A plea is made for wider use of stories from Indian mythology in psychiatric practice.

This study was conducted to identify the risk factors associated with attempted suicide among people living in and around Pondicherry. Using a case control study design, 137 consecutive cases of attempted suicide admitted to Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, a teaching hospital in Pondicherry and an equal number of controls, matched individually with cases for age and sex, from the relatives and friends of the other patients, were studied. Variables related to socio demographic characteristics, family background, recent stressful life events, physical and psychiatric morbidity were analysed. The strength of association with the risk of attempt was calculated using odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Odds ratios for the factors identified to be significantly associated with increased risk of suicide attempt were 15.82(95% CI 6.55-40) for unemployment, 3.02 (95%CI 1.78-5.14) for lack of formal education, 3.95 (95% CI 2.02-7.79) for the presence of stressful life events in the last six months, 3.12 (95%CI 1.37-7.24) for suffering from physical disorders and 6.78 (95% CI 2.39-2070) for suffering from idiopathic pain. Significant association was not revealed in respect to marital status, type of family, early parental losses, family history of suicide and presence of psychiatric morbidity.

The present study reports on the findings from an ICMR supported Research Project on the mental health consequences and service needs of the population of an urban slum in Delhi affected by an intermediate fire disaster. The study was aimed at examining the prevalence, the pattern and the predictors of mental health morbidity in the disaster affected population. Modified cohort design was used , with a control group, and two stage assessments for the prevalence of psychiatric disorder at two years after the disaster, with GHQ-12 and SCAN based clinical interview with ICD-10-DCR.. The data were analysed using r2 test and independent 't' test for inter group comparison and stepwise logistic regression for finding predictors of psychiatric morbidity and psychological ill health. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was significantly higher (78/1,000 v/s 22/1,000), and the prevalence of psychological ill health was also higher (232/1000 v/s 50/1000), as compared to the control group. The commonest psychiatric disorders were Depression, Substance Use Disorders, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and Somatoform Disorders. The commonest symptoms of psychological ill health were suggestive of depression. Age and participation in relief work were found to be strong predictors, and physical injuries were found to be a weak predictor of mental health morbidity. The findings have important implications in the service delivery and research on mental health aspects of disasters, which are highlighted and discussed.

Aripiprazole is a new anti psychotic with a unique receptor binding profile that combines partial agonistic activity at D2 receptor and 5-HT 1A receptor and potent antagonism at 5-HT 2A receptor. This receptor profile makes it possible for it to act as a dopamine system stabilizer. Based on various short term and long term studies, aripiprazole has been found to be effective in schizophrenia and has no significant adverse effect on QTc prolongation, prolactin, serum lipids, and has a low potential for weight gain. Present study aims to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of aripiprazole (10-15mg/day) in the treatment of Indian patients of schizophrenia and to see its effect on QTc interval, prolactin levels, serum lipids, plasma sugar and weight gain in these patients. Outpatients with an ongoing/newly diagnosed ICD-10 Schizophrenia (n=136) were randomly assigned to 10 or 15 mg dose of Aripiprazole for a period of six weeks. Clinical response was evaluated by the Positive And Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale and safety was evaluated by observing spontaneously reported adverse events and changes in various laboratory parameters. Switching schizophrenic patients to aripiprazole (10/15 mg) from both conventional and atypical anti-psychotics was safe and well tolerated. Six weeks after switching to aripiprazole, patients showed improvements in PANSS scores (P<0.001), EPS, prolactin levels and weight over the baseline levels. No difference was seen in the 10 or 15mg dose groups. One hospitalization was reported (due to hepatitis E). Common side effects reported were insomnia, somnolence, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Aripiprazole is a safe and effective anti psychotic in Indian patients - both in newly diagnosed, as well as, in patients not responding to or intolerant to other available typical and atypical antipsychotics.

Ziprasidone, an atypical antipsychotic, widely in use because of its better side effect profile. Recently some researchers have raised doubts about their association with sudden cardiac death. Here the authors present such a case report with Ziprasidone in a Schizophrenic patient and it is being suggested that psychiatrist must remain vigilant about cardiac harmful effects with newer antipsychotics for the better care of patient.

Perpetrators of Factitious Disorder by proxy are usually driven by motives such as garnering attention, mobilizing sympathy, acting out anger or controlling others. Widespread media coverage provides an opportunity for fulfilling all these needs. We describe a case of Factitious Disorder by proxy with a rather unusual ocular complaint. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the presentation may have been influenced by a similar case from the same locality in the preceding month, which received extensive media attention. The role of media on shaping psychopathology is discussed. Comparisons are drawn with other media influenced cases reported in the recently.