Over 50 Million People Live With Mental Disorders In India, Most Will Never Even Know They Are Sick

A comprehensive study released earlier this year stated that 5 per cent of the population of India, i.e. over 50 million people, suffer from mental health disorders.

One of the biggest reasons for the disturbing statistics below is the lack of awareness of mental disorders and hence, delayed or complete lack of treatment for the same. 

There are social stigmas attached to mental disorders in the country with all issues being clubbed under a single bracket - madness.

This has led to the lack of appropriate attention to mental health in India. Without proper counselling or treatment, these mental conditions escalate quickly taking an ugly form. 

Nearly 17 percent of the world's suicide, occurs in India. 

Times of India

A newer study puts China ahead of India, in the case of mental health. It says, "In 2013, 36 million years of healthy life were lost to mental illness in China, and 31 million in India. Estimates now suggest that by 2025, 39.6 million years of healthy life will be lost to mental illness in China (10 per cent increase), and 38.1 million in India (23 per cent increase)."

Depression, the most prevalent form of mental illness, is estimated to exist in 3 of every 100 in urban areas like Mumbai and of this 1 in 3 are severely neurotic.

Alzheimer’s disease was the most common of severe disorders with 54% of the population suffering fro m the disease followed by vascular dementia  which 39% of the people are afflicted with. In 2000, a review of epidemiological studies estimated that the prevalence of mental disorders in India was 70.5 per 1000 in rural and 73 per 1000 in the urban population. In 1999, a study stated that the prevalence of mental disorders in children and adolescents was 9.4 percent.

WSJ

Considering the social taboo, alternate remedies - spiritual and a few social ones as well. Social media platform, Facebook, has also rolled out a suicide prevention tool. First launched in the US with the help of Forefront, Lifeline and Save.org, the tools were developed in collaboration with mental health organisations and with inputs from people who have personal experience with self-injury and suicide.

Facebook has also introduced ‘Help a Friend in Need’ guide to help people identify when someone is distressed and what steps to take to get help. “Often, friends and family who are the observers in these types of situations don’t know what to do. They are concerned, but they are worried about saying the wrong thing or somehow making it worse. Socially, mental illness and thoughts about suicide are just not something we talk about,” Facebook India, South and Central Asia Public Policy Director Ankhi Das said. 

The guide will be available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Sinhalese, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and Marathi.

Kokilaben Hospital

India is also facing a severe shortage of mental health care centres. Dr Kersi Chavda, a senior psychiatrist, told Times of India, "There is a lack of mental health facilities not just in Mumbai but other parts of the country as well. In our country there are around five to seven thousand psychiatrists, whereas, when it comes to cardiologists, there are as many, in just Mumbai city alone."

The shame and stigma associated with mental illness, still looms large, say experts. Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany, reiterates, "Fundamental resources for handling mental health facilities are lacking big time here. In the entire country, only a handful of psychologists, are trained and researching on severe trauma cases."

Source:IndiaTimes

loading...