There are certain topics, society refrains from talking about; one of them is mental health. It is something taken very lightly by people, but plays an important role in a person’s well-being.
Anxiety, depression, grief, trauma and many more such emotions take time to heal and are often neglected. These should be taken just as seriously as physical health. Schools and colleges teach us a lot of things, but fighting depression and anxiety is not one of them. We have doctors to help us get better physically, but what about the emotional and mental well-being? Physical illness is vividly visible, people around us can see it, on the other a person who may seem very well to you from outside may be facing emotional issues which only he/she knows about.
Just like we have doctors to treat us physically, the need of the hour is mental health professionals, especially during these hard times of pandemic. Sadly, being a mental health professional is not normalized in India; we do not have enough mental health professional s to cope up with the need.
At the medical undergraduate level, there are very few necessary tests in the topic of psychiatry, and the courses are not demanding. There aren’t enough spaces at medical schools for postgraduate psychiatry education. Furthermore, super specialty courses are scarce. Many psychiatrists leave the nation in search of better opportunities elsewhere. This is due to concerns such as a lack of public knowledge and the stigma associated with mental diseases. In terms of money and recognition, it makes it difficult for psychiatrists in India to compete with other medical specialties. Lack of awareness about mental health is the biggest contributor in this problem. India has a population of 1.35 billion people, which indicates that if the percentage of persons with SMDs is 7%, there are 19.73 crore people with severe mental health disorders. What about troubles and obstacles such as relationship issues, academic issues, work-related issues, stress, and other health issues? Another 10% of the population may have psychological problems, resulting in a total of 15 crore. That indicates that over 35 crore Indians out of a population of 1.35 billion require psychological assistance at various levels.
“The society has set some standards and if you can’t fulfil them then you are not good enough!” This statement right here is the reason why India’s youth- future leaders, entrepreneurs, doctors and what not cannot be what they want to be and are facing mental health challenges. When you don’t get professional assistance, you start believing what others tell you and let those words eat you up. Advice from an unqualified person can be even harmful.
First and foremost, treating and managing your mental illness will help you improve your quality of life. Living with mental illness will always be a struggle, but with the right therapy, it can be much easier to manage, allowing you to appreciate everything life has to offer without your illness getting in the way.
Treatment can lead to a variety of advantages in addition to improved mental health. By enhancing sleeping habits, the immune system, and lowering pain levels, good mental health can also benefit physical health. Having your mental health issues addressed can help you be more productive by allowing you to focus on daily chores and providing you with the motivation to complete projects on time.
Millions of families have been touched by the COVID-19 epidemic, which has resulted in unexpected medical, social, emotional, and economic issues. Stressors that are severe, such as pervasive Unemployment, stay-at-home orders, and school interruptions and childcare, as well as the tough and important jobs of critical personnel Dangerous employment have had a huge impact on the mental health of parents. Multiple factors can cause higher stress in youngsters. Causes such as confinement in one’s house and disturbances in one’s routine Domains of social, familial, and academic life when basic human needs are met, Safety, food, and shelter are all endangered or unavailable. Major mental health problems arose during the pandemic. Due to the lack of qualified professionals in this domain, we lost so many lives, the suicide rates increased.
A lot of lives can be saved and enlightened if we have enough mental health problems. Sometimes it professional assistance becomes a necessity to bring back a person from the dark place he/she gates into while facing mental health challenges. These things may seem small but it is the need of the hour.
The better the access to mental health care, the better and happy will be the people!
By-
Eksha Nasha