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State of Mental Health in India
The concept of mental health is still pretty new in India, there are multiple social and educational factors affecting the increase in acknowledgement of mental health.
While there has been increasing awareness about mental health issues in recent years, significant challenges remain
Stigmatization: Throughout the years Indian society has always placed a stigma on the concept of mental health. This stigmatization is popularized through socialization in our society. Whenever children and young adults discuss any mental health-related problems, their concerns are always dismissed by the elders in society. Due to the lack of awareness in regard to mental health, this dismissive cycle repeats itself through generations.
Lack of Education: The disparity in levels of education across society creates a lack of awareness when it comes to mental health. The different boards of education and schools have their own syllabi which rarely call for the need to educate their students about the importance of mental health. Mental health will remain a niche topic of discussion until and unless all the boards and schools across India understand its importance and give it the appropriate attention it needs.
Socioeconomic Factors: Various social factors such as poverty, unemployment and social inequality contribute to the rise in mental health problems within the society. These factors often cause people to feel overwhelmed due to the stress they bring along with it. Addressing these underlying causes is critical to improving mental health within our society.
Importance of Intersectionality: Intersectionality is still an invisible concept in India, it is important for us to understand the experiences that are brought upon a person as a result of their caste, gender, religion, disability etc. Understanding the effect of intersectionality on mental health is critical in acknowledgement of mental health, as it helps increase inclusivity in our society.
Gender Inequality: The visible gender disparity within our society gives rise to mental health issues among women and young girls. These issues are further exacerbated by social factors such as caste, gender identity and religion, most religions in India help widen the gender inequality between men and women in Indian society.
Access to Services: Access to mental health services remains a major barrier to promoting mental health in India. Many people from rural areas are susceptible to mental health issues due to stress about socioeconomic factors. The unavailability of mental health professionals and affordability of services hinder the growth of mental health within these areas.
COVID-19 Pandemic: The post-COVID-19 era in India has seen a rise in levels of stress, anxiety and depression among the population. The rise persists in India due to the instability of job security as a result of the pandemic. The quarantine procedure due to the pandemic limited social interaction between people, and this gave rise to social isolation which people have been finding difficult to get out of.
Food for thought:
Overall, while there has been a positive development in addressing mental health in India, there is still much work to be done to ensure that mental health services in India are accessible, affordable, and destigmatized for all individuals.