Daisy Ramchiary
Ansuman Kashyap
Madhurjya Saikia
(madhurjyatu15@gmail.com)
As the world comes together to mark this year’s World Mental Health Day, we should not only be urging people to prioritise mental health and well-being for all but also rethink our approaches towards how we’re implementing this message in our country. The conversation on mental health must shift towards active investment in our citizens’ psychological well-being; nurturing the mental well-being of our people can yield what can be termed as a “mental health dividend”, contributing greatly to our country’s future. According to the WHO, India faces a high burden of mental health problems, with 2,443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 10,000 people. Around 15% of adults in India experience mental health issues. These problems are more common in cities (13.5%) than in villages (6.9%). Over their lifetime, about 13.7% of people in India are affected by mental disorders.
The economic perspective on mental health issues can be viewed this way – the World Health Organization pinpoints that depression and anxiety alone contribute towards lost productivity, costing the global economy over $1 trillion annually. For our country, whose population largely consists of a young demographic, an anxious, stressed or depressed workforce cannot learn, create or contribute to their fullest potential. This results in increasing absenteeism and a rise in healthcare burdens for stress-related ailments, placing a significant drag on our economic growth.
Accessibility to mental health resources in our country is a huge challenge; on top of strong stigmas surrounding mental health issues, there is a severe shortage of trained professionals as well as a disproportionate distribution of services. These issues are further exacerbated by the fact that more than half our population skew towards rural areas, where the overall health infrastructure, let alone mental health services, is severely underdeveloped. Financial barriers, which include personal costs and public funding, push back accessibility even further for a significant chunk of the population. Moreover, existing social stigmas worsen with the lack of mental health literacy, which creates an aversion to seekinghelp, particularly in rural regions where negative and exclusionary attitudes towards mental disorders still exist.
From a clinical perspective, better mental health is directly proportional to better cognitive function, like concentration, problem-solving, and resilience. The recent National Mental Health Survey, as well as other studies, has highlighted the significant treatment gap in India, emphasising an urgent need to create scalable solutions for the same. Initiatives like the National Tele-Mental Health Service (TeleMANAS) are commendable first steps. The Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 gives mental health equal importance as physical health, ensuring the right to treatment and insurance coverage. India’s National (1982) and District (1996) Mental Health Programmes aim to provide affordable, accessible, community-based care and raise awareness. The Mental Health Action Plan (2013–2030) offers a global roadmap to improve mental health services and integrate them into primary healthcare. Public mental health takes a population-based and statistical approach to dealing with mental health issues. It includes treating mental disorders, preventing their effects, stopping mental disorders from developing, and promoting mental well-being — even for those recovering from mental illness. This approach is based in the community, uses evidence, and is supported by institutions. It aims to improve the mental health and well-being of large groups of people through organized clinical efforts.
The increasing prevalence of mental health challenges among children and teenagers also points towards a critical need for early intervention strategies. This necessitates the inclusion of extensive mental health education into the school syllabus, with the aim to equip the youth with the foundational understanding and coping mechanisms that are essential to navigate one’s psychological well-being. An educational approach can reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, encouraging earlier identification and less hesitation to seek help when needed.
Public mental health needs a careful and detailed approach, using clinical psychological studies to better understand the bigger picture and root causes of mental health issues. To create effective solutions and policies, it’s important to analyse behaviour patterns across large groups of people. Outside influences like internet use, social media, artificial intelligence, and AI-generated misinformation or fake news play a big role in shaping how people think. These influences can lead to common problems such as social isolation, fear of missing out (FOMO), anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, loneliness, and poor sleep. The One Health approach supports looking at both physical and mental health together, promoting a complete and connected way of understanding and solving health problems. This helps us study human behaviour more deeply and find better, long-term solutions.
The real opportunity lies in thinking ahead and pushing for better mental health and addressing mental health issues the same way one would any other disease. Picture this – schoolteachers teaching not just academics, but also courses on mental health and how to deal with stress and anxiety. Workplaces that emphasise mental well-being with policies that contribute to better balance and growth. Imagine communities where mental health programmes enable people to thrive in their individual lives. Contributing towards these goals cannot be viewed as mere costs — it is investing in a stronger, more dynamic India. This World Mental Health Day, let’s embrace the thought that pushing for mental well-being is not only about individual growth — it is also about building a healthier, more prosperous nation. By prioritising the mental health of our citizens, we are building a strong foundation for a brighter and more resilient future for all of India.