कृपया इसे हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें
In a small village in Madhya Pradesh, a family is facing a crisis that sounds like something from a storybook, but is tragically real.
Hello, and welcome to our special report. Madhya Pradesh is often called the heart of India, a land of incredible stories. But today, we bring you a tale so bizarre and heart-wrenching it has left both doctors and family members in a state of helplessness. In Rajgarh, a 28-year-old woman named Manju Sondhiya is suffering from a mysterious illness that gives her an insatiable, never-ending hunger.
A Diet That Defies Belief
Imagine eating all day and still feeling hungry. That is Manju’s reality. From the moment she wakes up until she goes to sleep, Manju consumes between 60 to 70 rotis (Indian flatbreads) a day. But even after eating so much, her hunger is never satisfied. Her day revolves around a simple, heartbreaking cycle: eating rotis and drinking water, then feeling hungry again just a short while later.
For Manju’s family, both at her in-laws’ and her parents’ home, this condition has become a source of immense emotional and financial strain. Her husband, along with her brother, Chandar Singh Sondhiya, are at their wits’ end.
A Desperate and Expensive Search for a Cure
For the past three years, Manju’s family has been on a relentless quest to find a cure. They have taken her to hospitals far and wide—from Kota and Jhalawar in Rajasthan to major cities like Indore and Bhopal. Every doctor’s visit, every test, has brought them hope, only for it to be dashed when the treatments fail. Nothing has worked. The family has already spent six to seven lakh rupees on her treatment, a staggering amount that has left them financially exhausted. Now, they don’t even have the money to continue seeking further medical help.
No government aid has reached them. No medical teams have come to their home to investigate this rare condition. The family is on its own.
The Medical Explanation: What is Wrong with Manju?
According to Dr. Komal Dangi, a physician who has examined Manju, her condition is likely a Psychiatric Disorder, specifically an Eating Disorder. In such conditions, the brain constantly sends signals to the body, making the person feel as if they haven’t eaten. This creates a powerful, relentless urge to eat, in this case, to calm the mind.
Manju’s journey into this illness began three years ago, following a bout of typhoid. What started as a physical illness seems to have triggered a complex mental health condition. A psychiatrist in Bhopal, Dr. Aryan Sahu, diagnosed her with an eating disorder. However, the prescribed medicines have their own challenges. Manju complains of severe side effects like loose motions, making her reluctant to take them.
A Path Forward? A Social Responsibility
Doctors have advised the family to try a different approach: exposure therapy. They suggest that instead of giving in to her urges, they should try to stop her from eating rotis and introduce other types of food. This could help break the psychological cycle. However, this is easier said than done for a family already stretched to its limits.
A Social Message
Manju’s story is not just a medical curiosity; it is a powerful reminder of how mental health is often overlooked, especially in rural areas. While we prioritize physical illnesses, mental health conditions can be just as, if not more, devastating. Manju’s story is a call for greater awareness and compassion towards mental health issues. These are not choices but real illnesses that require medical intervention, support, and understanding from society.
The family is now caught in a tragic loop. Will they ever find a cure? Or will they be left to battle this strange sickness alone? Only time will tell.
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