Table 4.
Quotes from participants describing symptoms of depression, generalised anxiety and tension
| Symptoms | Supportive quotes from participants | Participant’s GHQ-12 score | Participant’s caste |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ICD-10 symptoms of depression
|
|
|
|
| Persistent sadness |
“I felt sad and my heart was also not stable.” |
n/a |
Yadav |
| |
“When I became sad I felt weak and kept thinking about these things.” |
9 |
Mandal |
| Fatigue or low energy |
“I was so weak, didn’t feel like doing anything.” |
7 |
Muslim |
| |
“I was too weak to carry a bucket full of water, so I brought half a bucket of water to do some housework.” |
7 |
Muslim |
| Disturbed sleep (also GAD) |
“Even now I can’t sleep if I get worried.” |
8 |
Dalit |
| |
“I was feeling sleepy all the time because of my worry.” |
8 |
Muslim |
| Poor concentration or indecisiveness (also GAD) |
“I couldn’t understand the work because of tensions.” |
7 |
Muslim |
| Poor or increased appetite |
“I lost my appetite.” |
11 |
Dalit |
| |
“I have so much tension. I have become weak because I don’t eat properly.” |
5 |
Dalit |
| Suicidal thoughts or acts |
“I feel tense when someone blames me for not having a son; then I wish to die with the baby.” |
8 |
Dalit |
| |
“I have lots of tension because of this; sometimes I feel like consuming poison because I can’t see a way out.” |
5 |
Mandal |
| Agitation or slowing of movements |
“I got very angry if someone said anything to me.” |
7 |
Muslim |
| |
“I was very irritable so which made me angry quickly, even when they showed sympathy I shouted a lot.” |
7 |
Muslim |
|
ICD-10 symptoms of Generalised Anxiety Disorder
|
|
|
|
| Autonomic symptom |
“I felt giddy, my palpitation increased.” |
7 |
Muslim |
| Symptoms concerning chest and abdomen |
“Sometimes I had back pain; sometimes chest pain, sometimes loin pain and sometimes tummy pain.” |
8 |
Dalit |
| Symptoms concerning brain and mind |
“I was lost and felt dizzy” |
8 |
Dalit |
| |
“I thought I might die.” |
6 |
Mandal |
| General symptoms |
“I have pins and needles (jhujhuni in Maithili; jhamjhamaaunu in Nepali), weakness and fear.” |
10 |
Muslim |
| Symptoms of tension |
“I had severe headache; didn’t feel like doing anything |
7 |
Muslim |
| |
“I had headache because of tension… I had body ache too.” |
5 |
Dalit |
| Non-specific symptoms |
“I get scared when someone speaks loudly.” |
10 |
Muslim |
| |
“I have so much tension so can’t remember a lot of things.” |
7 |
Muslim |
|
Symptoms related to tension only
|
|
|
|
| Disorientation |
“I was wandering around here and there and got lost a few times.” |
5 |
Sudi/Teli |
| Emotional pain |
“One pain is for not having a son.” |
8 |
Dalit |
| |
“People keep blaming me for not having a son; that hurts me very much.” |
8 |
Dalit |
| Self-neglect |
“They were asking me why I looked tense and didn’t take care myself.” |
5 |
Sudi/Teli |
| Fear for the future |
“I was so apprehensive about my children!” |
7 |
Muslim |
| |
“I was afraid if anything happened to me and my husband because of this who would look after my two children.” |
5 |
Sudi/Teli |
| Symptoms concerning the heart | “When it starts my whole body convulses and my heart is also not stable at that time.” | n/a | Dalit |
Notes: ‘n/a’ indicates FGD participants who did not complete the GHQ-12; GAD generalised anxiety disorder.