Mental Health | Decoding India's Mental Health Crisis amidst COVID-19

There is no denying the fact that Indian society is still regressive towards mental health issues. Two things linked to it make it more difficult to be addressed to. First is the intangibility of such issues, and second is the stigma associated with it. Even today, the idea of seeing a psychiatrist is implausible and only serves as a 'last resort' to many Indian families.

Mental health problems were already a major contributor to illness in India before the pandemic, with one-third female and one-fourth of all male suicide deaths in the world occurring in this country. Yet, most of this goes unnoticed.

Recently, former TV actor and popular Indian film star, Sushant Singh Rajput, who entertained cinema lovers all across the world sent shockwaves across the country with the news of his suicide, that happened days after that of his manager. This, in turn, caused a public acknowledgement by a prominent politician, Milind Deora of his tryst with depression. The incident certainly has once again brought mental health issues into the limelight.

The imperative now is to understand the nature of mental health distress and what we must do to address it in these difficult times.

The Scale of the Issue

According to Indian Psychiatry Society, since the lockdown was first announced on 24th March, the number of mental health cases, including anxiety and depression, has risen to 20%, mostly attributed to decline in social activity and restricted movement.

Mental illness has a huge impact on the behaviour, mood, thought process as well as the overall well being of a person. Disturbances originating from past experiences, substance abuse, environmental or genetic factors sometimes lead affected individuals to take drastic steps like even giving up their lives.

A new set of data compiled by a group of researchers revealed that suicide was the leading cause for over 300 “non-corona virus deaths” reported in India due to distress triggered by the nationwide lockdown. The group, comprising public interest technologist Thejesh GN, activist Kanika Sharma and assistant professor of legal practice at Jindal Global School of Law Aman, said 338 deaths have occurred from March 19 till May 2 and they are related to lockdown. According to the data, 80 people killed themselves due to loneliness and fear of being tested positive for the virus.

Lower access to professional help, reduced number of health care facilities, small budgetary support and lack of proper implementation of policies on the ground are the main factors that hinder the mental health infrastructure in this country.

Shattering the Stigma

In India, mental health was seen as a sign of either weakness or embarrassment for a very long time. In fact, even today, seeking a counsellor's help is still a long way to go and is often met with prejudiced and judgemental remarks. Its main cause is the deep-rooted stigma that mental health is enveloped with. One of the most effective ways to break this stigma is to make more people aware and sensible about the practical issues related to mental health.

Accessibility to Mental Health Care

Mental healthcare sector in India has been in a state of crisis for quite some time now. At present, India has about 9,000 psychiatrists, or approximately one doctor for every 100,000 people. However, the desirable number of psychiatrists is three for every 100,000 people. 

This means India has a shortage of 18,000 mental health doctors.

But the good thing is that several start-ups like Medvarsity, InnerHour, Trijog and ePsyclinic are attempting to address this issue through their online and offline services.

Policy Level Interventions

The budget allocated to the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 2019 was decreased to Rs 40 crore from Rs 50 crore in 2019. This, in turn, was estimated to be only 0.05 percent of the total healthcare budget. The average allocation for mental health in developed countries is at least 5%. Even in 2020, the mental health budget did not see a rise, although there was a 7% spike in the funds allocated for healthcare.

On the contrary, Government of India launched its first official National Mental Health Policy in the year 2014. It emphasised not only on the allocation of more funds, but also, acknowledged the sections of society that are specifically vulnerable to mental health ailments, and insisted on displaying non-discriminatory behaviour towards them. Additionally, the policy encouraged mental health training sessions for teachers, as well as parents, and made life skills education mandatory in schools and colleges. Lastly, it also hinted on decriminalising suicide.

Now, the government’s next goal is to lay out a plan for the enactment of the Mental Health Care Bill. Also national and district mental health programmes are to be executed.

What U can do to help!

For readers who are wondering how to manage their own mental health, there is no strict prescription that fits in for experiences which are intimately interconnected with our personal lives. Still, there are some general principles that can be followed.

First of all, you should be aware of and acknowledge your mental health, the same way you do your physical health. Feeling irritable without any reason should be as important to you as feeling pain in your chest. Secondly, this should lead you to talk to anyone you feel comfortable with. Remember, sharing one’s story about mental health is the most effective strategy to reduce stigma.

Thirdly, you should do something to help others, for science has shown that care-giving makes your life more rewarding and also longer. Fourthly, you should  remind yourself that all of humanity is being affected by these tough times, and even if some of us are also coping with other issues, the majority of us will safely make it to the other side. And as every other pandemic in the past, this will also pass.

Finally, if your distress is persistent and is hampering your daily stuffs, you should seek help from a professional.

Hence, timely intervention, awareness about the issue, a sense of care for one another, availability of professional help and appropriate policies is the only way to improve this situation. It is thus imperative to believe and spread the word that people with mental illness deserve to live their lives with dignity and confidence. And our little bit of understanding towards them can make things better before it gets too late.