Bengaluru traffic is taking citizens to the brink of nervous breakdown
Bengaluru traffic snarls are taking a toll on its citizens. From physical aches and pains to severe emotional stress to disturbed relationships at home-traffic is wrecking havoc. A Deccan Herald report explains the different ways in which people of the city are getting affected due to congestion on the roads.
“Bad traffic triggers additional stress in a person, professionally and personally,” informs Dr Seema Pradhan, psychologist and psychotherapist, Fortis Hospitals. She says the frustration that arises out of this is often vented on people around, including friends and family. This often affects one’s relationships and causes additional problems. Also, increased irritability, right in the beginning of a day, can affect one’s mood. One may not be able to achieve goals and that leads to increased frustration,” she adds.
Dr Rajeeva Moger, consultant physician with Apollo Hospitals, says that increased hypertension and exhaustion, due to traffic, can affect a person in the long run. “The traffic contributes to anxiety and increased aggression in a person. Staying calm at all times isn’t a possibility always. Also, when one is frustrated, their sleep pattern gets affected, which in turn results in a tired approach to everything. Having enough rest and proper sleep is a must,” he says.
Commuters are bearing the brunt of traffic-related problems on a regular basis. Suhas Sriram, a young businessman from Kengeri, complains how the endless hours in traffic are adding to the aches and pains and increasing stress. “To reach a place, often one has to leave much earlier than the designated time. This exhausts one completely. When there is physical stress, one is bound to feel emotionally stressed out as well,” he adds.
Increasing incidents of road rage is another trigger factor. This is not just for the people involved in the incident, but for the rest of the travellers as well. Srish Kumar, who heads the service assurance department of a telecom company, says that he moved with his family closer to his workplace so that he could avoid the traffic. But this hasn’t helped much. “One’s mood changes according to one’s experience on the road through the day. Firstly, it is very difficult to stay calm when you are stuck in traffic. Even if it isn’t your fault, there are chances you may get involved in quarrels on the road because of the fault of a third person,” says Srish. It is irritating to hear people yelling in the morning itself, he adds.
Mahalakshmi Sanjay, a professional, who used to travel from Mysore Road to Electronics City, says that endless hours in traffic can lead to relationship issues too. “There have been umpteen times when I couldn’t reach home on time and wrecked my daily schedule. Chaotic traffic has been affecting my sleep. At work, there have been times when I had to take power naps or a break. Importantly, most of the time is spent on the road and I don’t get enough time to spend with my family. Using public transport is the only possible solution to the terrible traffic situation here. Also cab-sharing is another option to consider,” she adds.
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