Cause and Effect:\nI) The incidence of seeking psychiatric help is on the increase.\nII) A large majority of people suffer from diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

Introduction / Context:
We compare mental health–seeking behavior with prevalence of chronic physical conditions. The task is to identify whether one causes the other or both reflect separate trends driven by broader societal factors.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• I: More people are consulting psychiatric services.
• II: Many people have chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension).
• No linkage is asserted between the two statements.

Concept / Approach:
Although comorbidity can exist, the statements as written do not establish causality. Both can be independent effects of larger causes (e.g., lifestyle changes, urban stress, aging demographics, improved awareness/screening, better access to care).

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) I → II: Increased psychiatric consultations do not cause higher rates of diabetes/hypertension.2) II → I: While chronic illness can affect mental health, the stem does not specify such a link; concluding causality would be speculative.3) Most conservative conclusion: both are effects of independent (or broader common) factors without a direct one-way causal link stated in the item.

Verification / Alternative check:
Reasoning questions require necessity, not plausibility. No necessary causal direction is provided.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options asserting direct causality go beyond the text; “independent causes” (option c) misfits the format since each statement is not presented as a cause producing something else here.

Common Pitfalls:
Projecting real-world medical interactions into a question that withholds the linking premise.

Final Answer:
If both statements I and II are effects of independent causes