Why we need to focus on mental health

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Last Updated30/01/2023

According to WHO, India’s suicide rate in 2019, at 12.9/1,00,000, was higher than the regional average of 10.2 and the global average of 9.0.
Suicide has become the leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 in India.

Increased mental health issues: Pandemic has increased the prevalence of depression by 28% and anxiety by 26% between 2020 and 2021.
More issues among younger age groups: It is mainly due to uncertainty and fear about the virus, financial and job losses, grief, increased childcare burdens, school closures and social isolation.
Increased use of social media exacerbating stress: Social media detracts from face-to-face relationships, which are healthier, and reduces investment in meaningful activities.

Leading cause of disability globally
Closely linked to poverty: People living in poverty are at greater risk of experiencing mental health conditions.
Mentally-ill people are more likely to fall into poverty: It is mainly due to the loss of employment and increased health expenditure.
Stigma and discrimination: This reinforces the vicious cycle of poverty and mental ill-health.
Global distribution: Countries with greater income inequalities & social polarisation have been found to have a higher prevalence of mental ill-health.

An urgent & well-resourced “whole-of-society” approach: It is important to protect, promote and care for the mental health of our people.
Killing the deep stigma surrounding mental health issues: It prevents patients from seeking timely treatment and makes them feel shameful, isolated and weak.
Making it an integral part of public health programmes: It will aim to reduce stress, screen & identify high-risk groups & strengthen mental health interventions like counselling services.
Special emphasis on schools: Special attention to highly vulnerable groups like victims of domestic or sexual violence, unemployed youth etc.
Creating a strong infrastructure for mental health care & treatment: Currently, only 20-30% of people with mental illnesses receive adequate treatment.
Making mental health affordable: Improved coverage without financial protection will lead to inequitable service uptake and outcomes.
Government health assurance schemes: They should cover the widest possible range of mental health conditions.
Increased insurance coverage: Currently, most private health insurance covers only a restricted number of mental health conditions.
Expansion of list of essential medicines: The list of essential medicines includes only a limited number of WHO-prescribed mental health medications.
Comprehensive review of policies: It will be needed to ensure that financial and other barriers do not prevent people from using services or push them into poverty.

Brock Chisholm, the first Director General of WHO, famously said, “there is no health without mental health”.
More than 50 years later, as we strive to provide universal health coverage to our population, let us ensure that mental health is an integral part of our approach.