Mental health issues in India deserve special attention

India’s proportion of women in the world’s population is 18 percent. Last year in 2021, more than 45 thousand women took their own lives. It is a matter of concern that we have not given the mental or mental health issues of women the attention they require. According to a report, about 150 million people in India are in dire need of mental health services, but government and non-government organizations are largely oblivious to the problem.

It is an undisputed fact proven by scientific research that there is a close relationship between mental and physical health because emotions and emotions directly affect the human body. If our mental condition is good, then not only our physical health is good but our life span is also increased. Today our life has become so fast that we do not pay attention to solve our problems, worries and mental anxiety in time. Our personality becomes the source of various physical and psychological disorders, which not only spoils our peace but also affects our routines.

It is ironic that we are afraid of what people will say! Reluctance to consult psychologists. According to a recent survey by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), there are about 150 million people in India, whose mental health is not good. They are in dire need of medical services. However, it is also a problem that only less than 30 million of them want to get treatment for their mental or psychological disorders.

The same fear of stigma in society, which is called stigma in English, is becoming a barrier. A famous British medical journal, Alanset, conducted a survey on mental health in India in 2017. According to this, the number of psychiatric patients doubled between 1990 and 2017. While the situation created as a result of the Covid pandemic has increased this number alarmingly. It is a harsh reality that mental health issues are often hidden in our society. Probably the main reason for this is that there is no specific system of education and awareness about mental disorders in India. Majority of our population is ignorant of even the basic principles of psychology.

Mental illnesses are considered a ‘defect’ in our society. Discussing this topic is also considered bad. This is the reason why India’s pluralistic society does not give mental health the importance it deserves. This is why, according to a survey in India, one in four people suffer from mental health problems at some stage of life. 15 percent of those suffering from mental illness belong to the age group above 18 years.

There are many causes of psychiatric disorders. In the workplace or factories, offices, people suffer from various types of mental stress. Such as a strained relationship with your boss, not getting full freedom and authority to work, long breaks from work, fatigue due to the tough nature of work, debt burden, fear of losing your job due to the company’s financial crisis, his Besides, prejudice based on gender, age, religion, educational background, caste, etc. also causes mental stress in the workplace. The most important of these factors is materialistic thinking and greed. Also, the problem of high and low on the basis of birth in Indian society is also a major factor.

According to the definition of mental health by the World Health Organization, or WHO, this state is the state in which an individual, whether male or female, realizes his or her own potential, the general quality of life. Can bear stress, can perform his work well and can do some service for his nation and country. During the National Mental Health Survey in India in 2016, many bitter facts have come to light. These include ten percent of the population suffering from common mental problems such as depression, anxiety and depression, being scolded by the boss, peer pressure, bullying or feeling inferior.

People from families with limited income, low income and low education are more prone to mental disorders. Also, a large number of women are also unfamiliar with the concept of luxury, especially in rural areas. Another noteworthy aspect is that the state of mental health treatment and care in India is dire.

Only 0.8% of India’s annual national health budget is spent on mental health, and very few voluntary organizations work in this field. 70 to 80 percent of the country’s population is deprived of these psychological treatment facilities. Even in urban areas, the situation of mental health care service is not satisfactory, very few people have this facility. In rural areas the situation is even worse. There is a shortage of trained medical personnel, the medical services that are available are substandard, and rural people have to travel long distances for treatment. Also the cost of treatment is very high. Most rural families cannot afford the cost of treatment.

The medical situation is such that every state except coastal Kerala in South India does not have even one psychiatrist per 100,000 population. In Kerala alone the ratio is 2.1 doctors per lakh. This state is at the top in human development index compared to all the states of the country. Thus, the female suicide rate in India is more than double the global rate. Also, compared to other parts of the world, young women in India are committing suicide more. However, under the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 (Mental Health Care Act), attempted suicide has now been excluded from the definition of a punishable offence. But despite this, there is a need for extensive work in the treatment of psychiatric patients and protection of their rights.

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