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Our Correspondent
Published: February 23 , 2025 12:28 PM IST
2 minute Read
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Finding happiness by inducing physical or emotional pain in someone is often termed anti-social or even psychopathic behaviour. It’s a trait that’s prevalent in our society in various forms. While it’s termed bullying in schools or friend groups, the term ragging is used in the context of colleges and other platforms. Be it in its intense or mild form, the impact of such experiences can leave long-lasting scars in the minds of victims. Noted psychiatrist Dr CJ John explains in detail how ragging could affect the mental and emotional health of the victims and why some people find happiness in such brutal acts.
Mental disorder
Finding joy and satisfaction from bullying a helpless person is a mental health condition stemming from certain personality disorders. Lacking kindness towards fellow human beings, feeling happiness seeing the misery of others, showing no remorse for their violent actions, the urge to hurt someone more when the latter is already suffering, and physically and financially exploiting the victims are some of the traits seen in people with personality disorder. Such persons exhibit violence or cruelty as casually as cracking jokes or expressing love. It is worrying that students studying to take up professions like nurses and doctors, where you are expected to show kindness and empathy to patients, are also involved in such heinous acts. Senior students often know that newly joined students are defenceless, and they tend to exploit them.
Bring them back to life
Ragging victims often face severe mental health crises and trauma. Some of them have even tried to commit suicide. They may fall into depression as they are unable to open up about their ordeal to their teachers or family members. The most important thing is to ensure the safety and mental support of the victims. It is possible to bring them back to normal life by assuring them that such incidents will not happen again. Besides, those who are willing to report a raging incident or file complaints should be assured that strict action will be taken. It would take at least 6 months to a year to come out of the mental trauma based on the victim’s personality and character. College anti-ragging cells should be on high alert to prevent ragging incidents inside the campus or in hostels. Teachers and the authorities should identify students with personality disorders and keep them under their watch. Those who show violent traits or have no qualms about hurting another person could be offered medical or psychological help so that they could lead a normal life.
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