In the last couple of months, there have at least three cases have been registered in AIIMS, and three in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, of people suffering from what in urban terminology has come to be known as 'selficide'.
When Riya (name changed), an 18-year-old Delhi University student, visited the ENT department of All India Institute of Medical Science for a nose surgery, the surgeon on duty referred her to the psychiatry ward. For, after a check-up, the doctor concluded it wasn't her nasal cavity but another faculty that needed immediate medical attention.
Riya isn't the first such case that has been referred to AIIMS department of psychiatry. In the last couple of months, there have at least two other cases in AIIMS and three in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, who were suffering from what in urban terminology has come to be known as 'selficide', a compulsive disorder to seek attention by serially posing before a mobile phone and sharing the picture with others for feedback.
"All the three patients wanted to know their body postures and developed 'body dysmorphic disorder' which consequently led to obsessive compulsive disorder," Dr Nand Kumar, associate professor at AIIMS psychiatry unit, told Mail Today.
WHAT IS 'SELFICIDE'?
A person suffering from this disorder keeps on looking in mirrors or photographs clicked by one own self. The parents of these youths, who requested anonymity, said their children would express uncommon behaviour whenever they were stopped from clicking selfies and uploading them on social networking sites. Understandably, the studies and routine was suffering.
Doctors treating Riya said: "She wanted reassurance that she looked beautiful throughout the day and for that posted her pictures on social media websites such as Instagram and Facebook to seek people's view. She wasted her lot of college hours, even avoided food and led an unhealthy lifestyle." Dr Nand said Riya has been responding well to the medication and counseling, and has come to accept that she doesn't need nose surgery. He said this is one of the newest lifestyle diseases. "One may suffer from stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression, and delinquency, and aggressiveness, loss of concentration, fatigue, headache and over-dependency on phone."
Medical experts say the symptoms of such a disorder are so subtle that many users don't realise the reason behind feeling stressed and disoriented. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), about 60 percent of the females suffering from 'selficide' do not realise it.
Besides health, such an obsession can have legal or criminal repercussion, said Dr Rajeev Mehta, consultant psychiatrist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
"I have seen a patient, who took her selfie in naked posture after her friends told her that she has a great figure. The naked selfie was shared with by her boyfriend, who misused it. This led to depression and her parents brought her here for treatment. We later managed to solve the case."
Dr Mehta said, "I have seen at least four female patients suffering from the disorder. Earlier, people used to stand in front of mirror. Now, they are able to see themselves anywhere at any time."
Dr Nimesh G Desai, head of department of psychiatry at IHBAS, said the trend of selfie started just two-three years back. "With this dependency on smartphone has increased. Even, a toddler knows the difference between smartphone and a dummy."
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