During cultural and social upheavals including manmade environmental factors like war and violence, drastic change takes place in people's expectations, “the meaning of life” and values. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of psychiatric co morbidities in traumatic amputees in Kashmir (Indian Part).

Subjects were 100 consecutive patients with traumatic limb amputation. In addition to assessments of physical factors, psychiatric interviews were administered to examine mental disorders including PTSD and major depression.

The prevalence rates of PTSD and major depression were 20% and 63% respectively. It was followed by impulse control disorder 19%, phantom limb phenomenon 14%, generalized anxiety disorder 10% and panic disorder 6%. Motor vehicle accident and blast injuries were cause for 53% and 11% of limb amputations respectively. Majority (45%) of them were males in age group of 15-30 years. 61% were illiterate from rural areas (81%).

These findings suggest that psychiatric co morbidity is very common in amputees. Most of the patients are males of younger age group. Major depressive disorder is the most common psychiatric co morbidity followed by anxiety disorders in which PTSD is most prevalent, followed by impulse control disorder and phantom phenomenon respectively. Individuals suffering traumatic limb loss at any age are likely to suffer subsequent difficulties with their body image, but these relationships are more striking in the younger age groups who have experienced traumatic injuries.