India’s stigmatized mental healthcare cries for prioritisation
In India's close-knit communities, mental health struggles often face a deafening silence. According to a study by Deloitte, over 70 per cent of Indians use derogatory terms for mental disorders and nearly 40 per cent voice fear of a neighbour seeking help for mental health issues.
![Representational Photo (Photo: Twitter) Representational Photo (Photo: Twitter)](/sites/default/files/styles/home_thumbnails/public/2024-01/download_0.jpg?itok=QDBsVZf4)
In India's diverse healthcare system, it seems societal misconceptions do contribute a ‘fair’ share of mental health challenges. According to Statista, a German data archive platform, 30 per cent of adults in India identify mental health as the primary concern, yet the issue remains inadequately addressed by the government. Mental well-being encompasses emotional, psychological, and social balances, impacting one’s thoughts, feelings and actions. When disruptions occur, they pose significant hurdles, demanding comprehensive support and attention.
Despite the economic growth, recent news reports suggest that India bears a heavy burden of mental health issues, with nearly 200 million people affected, including 56 million with depression and 38 million with anxiety disorders. Alarmingly, three-quarters of them experience these issues by age 24, with half showing signs by age 14. The mental health infrastructure also falls short, with only 46 dedicated mental health institutes and around 9,000 psychiatrists.
High suicide rate
India grapples with a severe shortage of mental health professionals, with only 0.75 psychiatrists per 1,00,000 people, far below the WHO recommendation of 3 per 100,000. This shortage is particularly acute in rural areas and contributes significantly to India's high suicide rate of 12.70 per 100,000 individuals annually, placing India among the nations with the highest rates of depression and suicide worldwide. Lancet Journal reports India has an 80 per cent treatment gap for mental disorders, which will cost $1.03 trillion to the economy by 2030.
According to a survey, in India, only 7 per cent can afford mental health treatment directly, with 44 per cent relying on private insurance. Shockingly, mental health care costs can eat up 30-40 per cent of monthly income on average, as per Lancet Psychiatry. In cities, counselling sessions cost around Rs 1500 per hour. While free digital teleservices handle many cases, severe ones need expensive additional support.
In India's close-knit communities, mental health struggles often face a deafening silence. According to a study by Deloitte, over 70 per cent of Indians use derogatory terms for mental disorders and nearly 40 per cent voice fear of a neighbour seeking help for mental health issues. ETactics, in a study among 90,000 people worldwide, found that 12.6 per cent of people with mental health disorders delay treatment due to fear of stigma. Hurtful labels like "crazy" or "attention-seeking" cling to mental health conversations, perpetuating this isolation. This silence bleeds into workplaces and social lives, with 9 per cent choosing secrecy over seeking help. While the 2017 Mental Healthcare Act aimed to break down these barriers, the Government of India allocates only 1 per cent of GDP towards its implementation.
A World Health Organization (WHO) study found that nearly 90 per cent of individuals in middle-income countries like India lack access to essential mental health care. The government's Tele-MANAS initiative, launched in 2021 as a digital portal, aims to bridge this gap. However, accessibility and affordability remain a significant challenge. Despite Tele-MANAS receiving 2,00,000 calls in a year, physical and mental health services remain exclusive to a few, underscoring the persistent lack of accessibility and digital divide in the country.
Partnering with NGOs
In India's $3 billion mental health market, the growth of technology should also play a crucial role in enhancing accessibility. For instance, the increasing use of gadgets like online meetings and phones significantly lowers counselling costs by up to Rs 300-500 per hour, enabling companies to offer more accessible services. Many health startups in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi curate YouTube videos, discussion forums, and other mediums to educate people on self-care and preventive measures. These platforms foster open discussions and make mental health support more affordable and accessible through innovative and passionate solutions. It promises an evolving and growing space for more people to invest in the widely untapped market, providing the perfect opportunity for growth in the sector.
India's sizable youth population could drive open conversations about therapy and peer support. Through collaboration with NGOs, national strategies can effectively reach communities via grassroots efforts and social support networks. This collaboration can benefit basic counselling training given to the healthcare personnel available at community hospitals and self-help groups. Primary counselling helplines created in rural areas through feasible and cost-effective plans implemented by these groups have already proven effective. Such strategies thus create an efficient solution to India's growing and demanding healthcare needs.
Mental healthcare ecosystem
Partnering with local NGOs to train teachers in the early identification of mental health issues among children is pivotal. The coping mechanism must involve tailoring student-focused learning with social-emotional programs on stress tolerance and building resilience and vital life skills. Supporting such initiatives through community organisations and coordinated efforts across sectors are instrumental in enhancing our mental health care system.
Today, any practical solutions for mental health challenges in India require substantial government support, increased funding, recognition, and dedicated personnel. However, this effort hinges on the demand from the people. Self-awareness through education is an added advantage that helps society to evolve in its perception of mental health. It's everyone's responsibility—citizens, NGOs, healthcare professionals, and policymakers—to advocate for mental health prioritisation. Creating a comprehensive and sustainable mental health care ecosystem demands active participation from all stakeholders everywhere.
(The author is a research intern with the Centre for Social and Policy Research at CHRIST (Deemed to be University). Views are personal. She can be contacted at avani.rara@pseco.christuniversity.in )
my know-how. thanks admin
lovers except this paragraph is actually a good article,
keep it up.
write.
your article on AOL? I need an expert on this space
to unravel my problem. Maybe that is you! Looking forward to see you.
contains precious Information.
technological globe the whole thing is available on net?
with this article which I am reading at this place.
Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more
in the way of content so people could connect with it better.
Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two images.
Maybe you could space it out better?
of reading this website's post to be updated daily. It carries nice
data.
and found that it's truly informative. I'm going to watch out for brussels.
I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Many people will
be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
might as well check things out. I like what I see so i am just following you.
Look forward to finding out about your web page repeatedly.
as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You're wonderful!
Thanks!
to improve my website!I suppose its ok to
use a few of your ideas!!
and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout
out from Kingwood Texas! Just wanted to mention keep up the good work!
read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you've got the opportunity, Guess I'll just bookmark this
site.
I love all of the points you made.
I'll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly.
I'm quite sure I will learn lots of new stuff right here!
Best of luck for the next!
through Google, and found that it is really informative.
I'm going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you
continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from
your writing. Cheers!
what they're discussing on the internet. You definitely understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
More and more people have to check this out and understand this side of
the story. I can't believe you're not more popular given that you most certainly have
the gift.
facts to us, keep it up.
understand this topic. You know so much its almost hard to argue with you (not
that I actually would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a subject that's been discussed for many years.
Wonderful stuff, just great!
on sites I stumbleupon every day. It's always helpful to read articles from other authors and
practice a little something from their websites.
working with? I'm going to start my own blog soon but I'm having
a difficult time making a decision between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal.
The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something unique.
P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
post's to be exactly what I'm looking for.
Do you offer guest writers to write content available for you?
I wouldn't mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write related to here.
Again, awesome website!
so I simply use the web for that reason, and obtain the newest
information.
But, think on this, what if you added a little information? I mean, I don't wish to
tell you how to run your blog, however suppose you added a post
title that makes people desire more? I mean India’s stigmatized mental healthcare cries for prioritisation | South Asia Monitor is a little vanilla.
You should peek at Yahoo's front page and watch how
they write news headlines to get people to click.
You might add a related video or a picture or two to get readers interested about what you've
written. In my opinion, it might bring your posts a little livelier.
has a lot of exclusive content I've either authored myself or
outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the
web without my agreement. Do you know any techniques to help stop content from being stolen? I'd certainly appreciate it.
And i am happy reading your article. But wanna commentary
on some common issues, The site style is perfect, the articles is in reality great :
D. Good activity, cheers
a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said "You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She
never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic
but I had to tell someone!
I've a presentation subsequent week, and I am on the search for such information.
any message boards that cover the same topics discussed here?
I'd really love to be a part of community where I can get responses from other experienced people that share the same interest.
If you have any recommendations, please let me know. Many
thanks!
what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please additionally talk over with my website
=). We could have a link change contract among us
no longer really much more neatly-preferred than you may be
now. You're very intelligent. You already know therefore
considerably when it comes to this subject, made me individually believe it
from a lot of various angles. Its like men and women don't seem to be interested unless it's one thing
to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. At all times handle
it up!
I wish to say that this write-up very compelled me to try and do it!
Your writing taste has been surprised me. Thank you, very great article.
but after I clicked submit my comment didn't show up. Grrrr...
well I'm not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say fantastic blog!
with the newest news update posted here.
incredible. It sort of feels that you're doing any distinctive trick.
Furthermore, The contents are masterwork. you've performed a fantastic job on this matter!
would be ok. I'm absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
this great article at at this place.
entertainment account it. Look complex to more brought agreeable from you!
By the way, how could we communicate?
knowledge regarding unpredicted feelings.
iPad and tested to see if it can survive a 40 foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views.
I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with someone!
my trouble. You're incredible! Thanks!
be a taboo subject but generally folks don't talk about these
topics. To the next! All the best!!
Post a Comment