Mental health is a dreaded topic of discussion in a middle-class Indian household. Considered a stigma, mental health issues are often shrugged off as mood swings. However, the mental health statistics are staggering. According to the National Health Mission, 7% of the population suffers from mental disorders. The WHO also notes that one in four families is likely to have at least one member with a mental or behavioral disorder.
While high-threshold mental disorders like schizophrenia, autism, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are recognized and acknowledged in our society, the same cannot be said for low-threshold disorders like anxiety, depression, and depression. the duel. Data from the National Family Health Survey-5 reveals that one in three married women experience violence from their partner and, of these, less than 90 percent have never sought help. NIMHANS estimates that 14 percent of those victims met criteria for PTSD and all of them met criteria for depression. The problem has been further exacerbated by the pandemic, with a large percentage of Indians of all ages, all social and economic classes suffering from such disorders caused by gender-based violence, loneliness, stress and illness.
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The Stree Manoraksha Project, launched at NIMHANS a week before Women’s Day, is an initiative to improve women’s mental health, with a focus on victims of violence through the establishment of OSC (One-Stop Center) officials ). will create mental health warriors trained in self-defense and how to handle cases of violence between women. A dedicated effort to improve mental health began when the Mental Health Act of 2017 was passed with the goal of providing mental health services to people with mental illness. Political interventions and measures, such as the National Mental Health Telehealth Program announced in the Union Budget for 2022, definitely illuminate the positive path ahead. These are important first steps that have initiated discussions at the highest level about mental health, its socioeconomic implications, and the need for a comprehensive mental health policy.
Cause and effect
The World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that for low- and middle-income countries like India, the total economic cost of mental illness will exceed $2 trillion by 2030. The global shift toward ideas of sustainable development, multidimensional poverty and quality of life is indicative of a broader conception of development, which seeks to incorporate the conception of mental health.
In social development, poorer mental health has been associated with poverty and social stratification. Depression among women, especially those of reproductive age, is consistently higher than among men, further exacerbated by gender-based violence. Depression is also closely related to low literacy and nutrition, poor housing, and even urbanization. On a microeconomic scale, poor mental health is associated with financial problems and debt. In the labor market, it is associated with low or reduced earnings and low productivity. Similarly, burnout and depression are linked to falling employment levels and low training and upgrading in the industry. In political development, deteriorating mental health is associated with various forms of discrimination such as race, caste, and religion. It is also linked to political representation, crime rates, community violence, and human rights.
The most important finding is that there are several bidirectional causal links between mental health and social, economic, and political development. The WHO recommends that policymakers deinstitutionalize mental health care, integrate mental health into general medical care, and develop community mental health services. Norway, Canada and Argentina have some of the best mental health policies in the world. They emphasize mobilizing and sensitizing families and communities to be first responders, and empowering local governments to provide low-threshold support services. This allows those seeking help, especially teens and young adults, to get support at an early stage. Special programs are designed to be culturally aware of different demographics and support minorities. Another feature is the identification of closely associated risks, such as substance abuse and cyberbullying, and the incorporation of mental health-related reforms into policies on those topics.
Road to a Mentally Healthy New India
In India, the National Tele-Mental Health program will include a network of 23 tele-mental health centers of excellence, with NIMHANS as the nodal center and the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore, providing technology support. This integration of mental health and digital infrastructure will bridge the gap between the different stakeholders. The focus on telecounselling, which opens it up to digital interventions, will improve the privacy aspect, thus addressing the prevailing ‘stigma’ aspect towards mental health. For its widespread implementation, it is equally important to support the industry by removing the GST from all mental health care services, directing insurance companies to incorporate mental health into conventional health coverage, and establishing academic institutions and hospitals. first level focused on mental health.
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As a next step, there should be an effort to integrate and create an overall framework around mental health perspectives for policy making on key social and economic issues. Segment-focused programs like the Stree Manoraksha project are needed for college and school students, young professionals and the elderly. Labor and unemployment laws must offer support for mental health. Secondary education, higher education, and skills enhancement programs should encourage mental self-care and provide training for teachers to act as first responders. Lastly, awareness campaigns should be implemented through local government and community bodies to de-stigmatize the narrative around mental illness.
These are just the beginning steps and we are confident that with reforms like these, we are on the right path to creating a mentally and emotionally healthy society. As individuals, we must practice mental self-care and support our loved ones to do the same. This is the way. The road to a mentally healthy New India.
Siddhey Shinde is a young professional, science and technology vertical, NITI Aayog. Juhi Jain is a Young Professional, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not represent the endorsement of this publication.
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