Why Acknowledgment With Action Is The Way Forward
Rhea resigned from her job early December 2019. She decided to take a much–needed three months break. She needed to keep a routine in her life. So she started dance classes, gymming and catching up with family and friends.
Rhea suffers from mild depression and anxiety. It is unknown to most people in her life. This is because she’s afraid of being seen as ‘different’. She believes that maintaining a routine is key to helping some control over her life. The lockdown has disrupted this routine. What’s worse, is that since the economy has been severely affected, Rhea might be on a longer break than expected.
The pandemic has proven to be a Pandora’s box. It has exposed the cracks in our society we became accustomed too. One of the tragic after effects of this pandemic has become the deteriorating state of mental health in the country. The current health crisis, economic and political system have aggravated this issue. Lack of access to essential resources, social distancing, unemployment, depletion of financial resources, natural calamities, socio-political unrest: this is a list that seems to have a new item added to it every day.
According to a survey conducted by LocalCircles, a citizen engagement platform, 31% Indians were stressed about job and finances. In the first 45 days of the lockdown, people who expected a reduction in earnings went from 28% to 87%.
The WHO defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. The WHO further elaborates that “people with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions.”
Preventable being the operative word here. With the current situation intensifying even the smallest of discomforts, effective measures need to be taken. Affordable mental health care is an added cause of concern. Additionally, the number of persons battling mental health in the country is increasing. The government has made major revisions to the Mental Healthcare Act 1987 as Mental Healthcare Act 2017.
One of these revisions decriminalizing suicide attempts and ensuring health insurers treat mental illness similar to physical ailments.
The stigma attached to mental illness in India has only added to the rising numbers. This stigma dissuades people from acknowledging the problem and hence seeking treatment. 1 out of 7 Indians are affected by mental illness in varying degrees. This proportion has doubled since 1990.
Acknowledging that we have a serious public health concern on our hands is the first step. We must coerce the government to boost the MHCA budget. This is particularly important because in the last Union Budget they cut funds by 20%. Being approachable and educating oneself is the way forward.
*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of individuals
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