Telangana migrant workers, families face rising mental health crisis

Migrant workers from Telangana travelling to Gulf nations are facing severe mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Families left behind also suffer from loneliness and stress, with experts warning of addiction and legal risks due to strict drug laws abroad

Hyderabad: Prolonged separation from families and the stress faced by migrant workers from Telangana who travel to Gulf countries in search of better opportunities are having a serious impact on their mental health.

Senior psychiatrists and mental healthcare professionals in Hyderabad point out that the wide range of challenges faced by workers—often isolated in unfamiliar environments in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain—has now emerged as a major but largely unaddressed public health issue.

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“Migrant workers face stressors including cultural adjustment, job insecurity, poor living conditions, and long working hours. As a result, they suffer from adjustment disorders, anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, psychosis, and substance abuse. Equally, their wives, children, and elderly parents in Hyderabad and elsewhere experience loneliness, financial stress, and uncertainty about the future, leading to depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric issues,” said Prof. Dr Vishal Akula, National Direct Council Member of the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS).

In several districts, there have been instances of family members—especially teenagers—and returning migrant workers becoming addicted to substance abuse. Locally available benzodiazepines (alprazolam, diazepam, clonazepam) and sedative antipsychotics (such as olanzapine) mixed with toddy have created a dangerous trend of dependence.

A large number of workers experience withdrawal symptoms, which frequently manifest within the first three days of migrating. These symptoms can be severe and include tremors, seizures, delirium tremens, suicidal tendencies, and even legal complications abroad, psychiatrists noted.

While migration provides economic stability, both families and workers often end up paying the price through mental health struggles, substance abuse, and legal challenges. Workers facing withdrawal or medical emergencies in the Gulf are often admitted to hospitals and, in some cases, arrested due to strict drug laws, Prof. Vishal added.

Recommendations

1. Awareness campaigns on visas and migration.

2. Pre-departure counseling and mental health support.

3. Strict control of benzodiazepine misuse.

4. Legal aid and helplines abroad.

5. Support groups for migrant families.