Mental Health in India
Definition
- The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a condition of well-being in which every person can reach their full potential, manage everyday pressures, engage in productive and fruitful employment, and contribute to their community.
Facts to Know
- According to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015-16), nearly 150 million people in India need mental health care, but fewer than 30 million are receiving it.
- Common mental health disorders in India include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders.
- India accounts for nearly 15% of the global mental, neurological, and substance abuse disorder burden.
Factors Affecting
- People may be more susceptible to mental health issues due to personal psychological and biological characteristics like emotional intelligence, substance use, and heredity.
- People are more likely to develop mental health issues when they are exposed to unfavourable social, economic, geopolitical, and environmental conditions, such as poverty, violence, inequality, and environmental squalor.
- Risks can appear at any stage of life, but those that happen during developmentally vulnerable times, notably early childhood, are the most harmful.
- For instance, physical punishment and strict parenting are known to harm children’s health, and bullying is a major risk factor for mental health issues.
- Similar protective factors persist throughout our lives and help us be more resilient. They comprise, among other things, our unique social and emotional capacities and characteristics as well as satisfying interpersonal relationships, high-quality education, respectable employment, secure neighbourhoods, and cohesive communities.
Government of India Initiatives
- National Mental Health Program (NMHP) – To address the enormous burden of mental diseases and the lack of skilled experts in the field of mental health.
- Mental Healthcare Act, 2017
- Aims to provide comprehensive mental health care and protect the rights of people with mental illnesses.
- Key provisions include the right to access mental health care, protection from inhuman treatment, and the right to live in a community.
- The Act decriminalised suicide and mandated that people attempting suicide should be provided with care, rather than being treated as criminals.
- The Kiran Helpline was established by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2020 to support anyone struggling with anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health issues.
- The Manodarpan Project is a Ministry of Education initiative designed to offer kids, families, and teachers psychosocial support for their mental health and well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The MANAS (Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System) mobile app was introduced by the Indian government in 2021 to promote mental health among all age groups.
Challenges to Deal with the Issues
- Stigmatisation
- Social stigma surrounding mental health leads many patients to avoid seeking treatment.
- Fear of judgement and isolation further worsens the psychological condition of patients.
- Treatment Discontinuation
- Long-term therapy and counselling, often lasting over a year, become financially burdensome.
- The high cost of mental health services results in many patients discontinuing treatment midway.
- Inadequate Resources
- Hospital beds: Only 1.43 beds per 100,000 population are available for mental health care compared to global standards.
- Shortage of professionals: India has only 0.15 psychologists per 100,000 people, significantly lower than the WHO recommended ratio of three psychiatrists per 100,000.
- Inadequate training: Many doctors lack specialised training to diagnose and manage diverse mental health disorders.
- Medication shortages: At Primary Health Centers (PHCs), medications are often in short supply or irregularly available.
- Rehabilitation: Limited facilities for patient rehabilitation prevent proper reintegration into society.
- Administrative Shortfalls
- Lack of coordination: Mental health care involves both the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Welfare, but coordination is often missing.
- Underutilization of funds: Only 40% of allocated funds under the District Mental Health Program (2015-2020) were utilised.
- Regional disparity: Mental health services and professionals are concentrated in urban areas, while rural regions remain underserved. Many practitioners are reluctant to work in remote areas due to lack of resources and infrastructure.