Six noted psychiatrists from Nagpur have come together to author a book on a unique theme, probably first time in the world. The book named ‘Cyberpsychiatry’ has presented the study of human behaviour in the cyberspace, that is to say, on the internet. Dr Sudhir Bhave was the National Chairman of the ‘Cyber-psychology’ section of the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) (2018-21). Dr Bhave was keen that a book be published by this national society on ‘Cyberpsychiatry’ - study of the behavioral problems associated with the Internet. (With an explosion of the use of the Internet all over the globe, there is a corresponding explosion of the mental health issues associated with it).

 

This was more so because no comprehensive book exists in this field anywhere in the world. Seeing Dr Bhave’s expertise and work in this area, the society entrusted him to accept the role of the editor for such a book. Last year, Dr Bhave had authored for the IPS the national ‘Recommendations for Screen Use’ for all age groups. Dr Bhave roped in some of the best authorities working in this field in India and abroad (Ireland, Australia).

 

He conceptualised the book as one which covers all the relevant aspects of internet-related psychological problems like effect of the cyberspace on a child’s brain, prevalence of cyberpsychiatric problems, description of various such problems (for example various types of internet addictions like for social media, on-line shopping, gaming, gambling, pornography etc., cyberbullying, cyberstalking, webcam sex tourism, etc.) and their treatment, preventive strategies for such problems, on-line research on these, legal aspects of cyberpsychiatric problems, and so on. Dr Bhave was ably assisted in this task by the co-editor Dr Sushil Gawande, Associate Professor in Psychiatry at the NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Dr Abhijeet Faye, Assistant Professor at the same institute, and Dr Anagha Sinha, the latter two as Assistant Editors.

 

Amongst other Nagpur psychiatrists involved in the effort are Dr Vivek Kirpekar and Dr Neha Bhave Salankar, who too have authored chapters in this book. The book is aimed at all mental health professionals like psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric social workers and nurses, in fact, anyone interested in the field. The book has been published by the Delhi-based JP Publishers, an eminent publishing house that regularly publishes medical books.