You are on page 1of 1

Stigmasurroundingmentalillnessisnotnew.

Social&economicburdenofmentalillnessinourcountrywillexceed
thatofcancer&cardiovasculardiseaseasperWHOassertion.Oneinfouradultsuffersfrommentalillnessin
theirlives.Every40secondsomewheresomebodydiesofsuicide.About50millionpeopleareaffectedbymental
healthproblemsinIndia.Everybodyknowssomebodythathassomeformofmentalhealthproblem.Mentalhealth
illnessmostlystartinchildhood&adolescence&mightoccurwithchronicmentalillnesslikeheartdisease,diabetes,
cancer,HIVetc.Incontrasttothishighburden,countryhasonly5000trainedmentalhealthprofessionals.

World Federation for Mental Health has chosen Dignity in Mental Health Psychological & Mental
HealthFirstAidforallasitsthemeforWorldMentalHealthDay,2016.

Peoplewithpublichealthdifficultiesareofferedpromptphysicalhealthfirstaidwhilementalhealthcrisisis
vieweddifferentlybecauseofstigma&ignorance.Accordingto2016worldbankgroup&WHOreport,despitethe
enormous social burden, mental disorders continue to be driven by shadows of stigma, prejudice, fear of disclosing
afflictionbecauseajobmaybelost,socialstandingruinedorsimplybecausehealth&socialsupportservicesarenot
available or out of reach for afflicted. Low perceived need & Attitudinal barriers are most commonly reported
barriers to mental health treatment as per world WHO Mental Health Survey apart from structural barriers like
finance, lack of insurance coverage, gap between policy and financing, inadequate integration with primary
caregivers,geographicdistanceandlackoftrainedpersonal.

Inourcountry,thereisshortageofqualifiedpsychiatrist.Apartfromthis,wealsodonothaveadequateand
newer medications with lesser sideeffects etc. Problem is not much about government funding, major hurdle is
attitudinal. Ours is country of abundant faith healers and few number of trained mental health professionals. Why
mentalhealth/mindisdiscriminatedfortreatmentwhenweconsultphysicianforevenmildbodilyailmentslikeflu.

Althoughattitudesarechangingwithopentalksbycelebrities,governmenteffortsandnewmentalhealthbill
butstillthereexisthugedisparitybetweenphysicalandmentalhealth.

ConsistentwiththisyearsWorldMentalHealthDaythemefocusisonthatallmembersofpubliccanlearn
basic skills to help people with mental health problems. Community need to be oriented to organize psychological
firstandlocalcommunityworkers,police,generalhealthstaff,teachers,NGOs,disastermanagementteams,health
staff&evenlaymancanlearnbasicskillstohelppeoplewithmentalhealthproblems.

Tosummarize,weneedtoaddressfollowingissues:

Mentalhealthcrisistobetreatedatparwithphysicalhealthcrisis.

Knowledgeandawarenessofbasicpsychologicalfirstaid.

Addressingstigmaanddiscriminationa/wmentalillness.

Mental health first aid to be included in all schools, educational institutions and working places, armed and
militaryforces,justlikefirstaid.

Mental health first aid course to be taken by police/public safety officers, teachers & school staff, medical
personnel,veterans,military,NGOs,firstresponders(indisaster&accidentwithgeneralpractitioners)

MentalhealtheducationalmaterialisfreelyavailableonWorldFederationforMentalHealthsite.Informationis
providedaboutbasicskillstodealwithmentalhealthcrisis.

Weallarecapableofprovidingbasicmentalhealthfirstaid(tosupportindividualwithmentalhealthcrisis,until
crisisresolveandpersoncanbetakenforprofessionalhelp).Letsvowonthismentalhealthdaytobeproviderof
mentalhealthfirstaidinsteadofbeingpassivespectator.LetsmakeDignityinMentalHealthareality.

You might also like