Treatment for mental disorders not a luxury but a necessity: NIMHANS director

“There is no health, without mental health. The importance of mental health has become more focused during the pandemic. During the different phases of the pandemic, we would all have experienced different emotional responses. During the first wave, we felt insecure. We did not know that there was something that would affect all of us. We all experienced changes when there was a lockdown. There was psychological distress because we had limited options. We couldn’t go out. We had to work from home, which was something new for many of us who were used to going to the offices,” he said.

People experienced a lot of health anxiety, he said. “There was so much misinformation about how covid spreads. The experience of losing someone in the family affected many. Several of us went through illnesses, relatives were hospitalized and we could not be in contact with them. Concerns about children’s health and education bothered many parents. Financial distress is another thing that bothers many,” said Dr. Murthy.

Although there have been apprehensions about visiting hospitals during the pandemic, Dr. Murthy said one shouldn’t neglect non-pandemic medical issues.

“Avoid going to hospitals unless necessary. eSanjeevani (a doctor-to-patient telemedicine system) was a godsend for elderly people who cannot afford to go to hospitals regularly. People tend to have ignored a lot of mental health and non-Covid related medical issues during the pandemic. There should be a balance between teleconsultations and hospital visits. One must be informed about the precautions to take when going to the hospital,” she added.

Speaking about signs and symptoms that need counseling, he said: “Feeling down when something isn’t right is a normal response, but we can all shake ourselves off or do something to distract ourselves. But when there’s a feeling of dread and your hands are shaking and you feel like you can’t breathe or you have these kinds of anxieties day in and day out or last for more than a couple of weeks, then you need to seek help. Similarly, if one is in a very bad mood, does not sleep well, loses his appetite, has negative thoughts and feels helpless and hopeless beyond a reasonable time, one should worry about being depressed.

Dr. Murthy suggested that it is imperative at this time to express these thoughts with someone. He reiterated that showing a symptom of a mental disorder is not weakness.

“There are several myths surrounding mental illness and one of them is that you have to be in control of your mind all the time. Just as one seeks help for a physical disorder, it is imperative to seek help for a mental disorder. People need to educate themselves that mental disorders are real and not imagined. Substance use can turn into an addiction which is another psychological disorder. Getting treatment for mental disorders is not a luxury but a necessity. When people feel powerless and think that suicide is the only way out, they should know that there are always solutions to life’s problems. It is important that people seek help,” he stated.

On Tuesday, it was announced during the Union budget that a national telemental health program would be launched with a network of 23 telemental health centers of excellence, with NIMHANS being the hub.

“Before the appearance of Covid, there was a huge gap in the treatment of mental disorders. Out of every 100 people, only between 20 and 25 actually accessed help or services and this was accentuated during Covid. We also learned about ways to reach people by phone and other digital avenues. At NIMHANS, we had a psychosocial helpline that received several calls. There is a shortage of mental health professionals in the country and the distribution is uneven between states. So the announced national telemental health program is amazing because it is an opportunity to ensure that basic mental health care services are available in every state and union territory in the country.”