Daughters in Distress: The silent drug crisis among young women in Kashmir

Srinagar, May 01: In the corridors of Srinagar’s Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) and SMHS hospital, a subtle but alarming pattern has emerged. More and more young girls and women—some as young as 15—are being brought in, or arriving on their own, seeking help for substance abuse. What was once whispered in corners is now becoming a public health crisis in Kashmir.

According to IMHANS specialists, young women are reporting increasingly with symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, and a growing tendency to self-medicate through drugs and quick reliefs leading to substance abuse.

The backdrop to these psychological afflictions? Prolonged political unrest, persistent socio-economic instability, family-marital issues, unemployment, gender-based pressures, easy availability & access and deeply entrenched stigma around mental health.

“Yes, drug-related cases among girls are rising, particularly among adolescents with underlying personality disorders,” says a clinical psychologist at IMHANS.
“Most come with cannabis dependence, and some have already escalated to heroin, often through IV injection.”

The numbers are telling. IMHANS reported just 489 drug abuse cases in 2016. By 2019, that number had surged to 7,420. Official data revealed during the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly session highlights the gravity of the issue.

Since 2022, over 25,400 people have been registered as drug abusers in the region. Of those, the Outpatient Department (OPD) alone recorded 9,775 cases in 2022, 8,700 in 2023, and 6,925 in 2024.

The crisis is not just numerical—it’s deeply human.

“I wonder how this is so easily accessible to kids. I don’t even know the names of these things,” the father of an 18-year-old girl from Warwan, Kokernag in Anantnag district who comes to SMHS hospital de addiction center Srinagar for treatment of his daughter. 
“I don’t even know when and how she fell into it and I am helpless.”

Girls like his daughter often spiral quietly, their struggles cloaked in fear of judgment from family, society, and even local clinics. Despite the presence of Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) in many districts—Poonch, Bandipora, Doda, Kupwara, Budgam and more—many choose to travel long distances to Srinagar's IMHANS or SMHS Hospital to avoid being recognized.

“They fear the people around them,” says Naireen, a counseling psychologist at SMHS.
“They come from far-off places just to feel anonymous.”

Naireen highlights the sharp uptick in the use of cannabis and heroin among girls, some barely out of their teens. Girls between the ages of 15–20 are mostly hooked on cannabis, while heroin, often administered intravenously, becomes more common post-20.

Treatment, while available, is not always effective. Many girls stay for 10–15 days, and while some show signs of recovery, relapse is frequent.

One such case is Saba (name changed), who now battles recurring seizures and insomnia leading to PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder). She traces her addiction back to childhood trauma, particularly the arrest and subsequent mental decline of her older brother during the turbulent 1990s and 2000s.

“He came back mentally bruised. And in trying to calm myself, I took medicines too,” she admits softly. “Now it’s cannabis. I want to stop, but... I’m not able to.”

Saba is not alone. Another women in her late 30’s, suffering from severe traumatic issues and anxiety, but refuses treatment. Counselors say this is not uncommon—many girls either deny the problem or resist intervention due to family pressure or shame.

“We desperately need more female counselors or psychologists,” says Dr. Yasir, head of the psychiatry department at IMHANS and SMHS.

“This is a huge lapse in our support structure. Girls won’t open up to male therapists, especially when abuse or trauma is involved” he adds.

Simranjeet Kour, another counselor at IMHANS, confirms that she’s seeing more young girls "on the verge" of full-blown substance dependence. “The weight they carry—academic stress, trauma, gender roles, conflict—is enormous. Even small wounds don’t get the space to heal anymore.”

The scope of the crisis extends beyond mental health clinics. A 2022 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) survey in Kashmir estimated over 52,400 opioid addicts in the region—32,097 of whom were intravenous users. Opioids include powerful drugs like heroin, morphine, and fentanyl, all of which can cause fatal overdoses.

“Even after just a few uses, opioids can hook you,” says Dr. Yasir.
“The withdrawal is brutal—severe pain, depression, intense cravings. Quitting feels impossible to many.” Dr Saleem, another clinical psychologist at SMHS hospital, adds, “Chronic users often develop extreme psychological issues—insomnia, depression, and suicidal tendencies. Some even self-harm just to feel something they can control.”

Decades of conflict have deeply scarred Kashmir’s youth. PTSD, anxiety, and depression are common, and for many, substance abuse becomes a coping mechanism. Yet despite growing numbers, few studies have focused on the link between trauma and addiction in the region.
A recent study at IMHANS found that 75% of opioid users were aged 20–30. Many abused multiple substances at once. A shocking 50% started under peer influence, showing just how vulnerable young minds can be in a volatile environment.

This crisis in Kashmir is no longer invisible. Crackling beneath the surface of a society already grappling with so much. And while some girls, choosing to seek treatment still carry a flicker of hope, others are slipping away quietly, with no one to notice but the parents who doesn’t know what his daughter is taking—or the name of the thing that’s taking her away.

“There’s a perceptible shift. More young women are now stepping forward for therapy, treatment and counselling. The stigma to seek help is gradually eroding, but the emotional toll is immense,” says Dr. Shabnum Ara, Assistant Professor, Clinical Psychology, IMHANS.