TUESDAY, JULY 09, 2024
Dr Colin Braganza
There is no doubt that good mental health is vital to one’s overall health and wellbeing. Yet, as per World Health Organization estimates, one in eight people globally live with a mental disorder. In India itself, there are over one crore individuals with severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, and multitudes more with substance use disorders, dementia, depression and anxiety. Suicides and self-harm attempts have seen a rising trend in the recent years and mental health problems are affecting an increasing number of adolescents and young adults.
To add to that, National Mental Health Survey of India 2015-16 noted that only one in every four individuals with a psychiatric illness in India received adequate and appropriate treatment, largely attributable to lack of awareness, stigma and accessibility issues; and while progress has been made since that survey was published- through tele-medicine, strengthening district and state level mental health services and increased information and understanding of mental illnesses, there’s definitely still work to do to address this treatment gap that exists in the country.
Because it is sometimes misunderstood and difficult to deal with, mental illness has often been stigmatized and disregarded and has been referred to as an “invisible disease”. As such, empathetic and accurate awareness about mental health is always a positive sight. Canada Post had released some meaningful stamps as their way to help address this issue. One stamp depicts a person speaking into a megaphone, metaphorically broadcasting the plight of those with mental illness. A background of dark clouds on the left and sunshine on the right suggests bringing the issue out of the shadows into the light where it can be addressed directly.
Another stamp, shows a stylized head containing a tree that resembles a brain. The tree symbolizes health, growth, and maturity, all facets of life potentially attainable by people with mental illness. The purple path represents progression towards a fulfilled life. Above, the sun shines through broken clouds, suggesting hope. The background sky is green rather than blue to underline the fact that some people with mental illness may sometimes perceive the world a bit differently.
Indeed, the pursuit of a life of fulfilment, wellbeing and growth is key for every human being, irrespective of whether they have a mental health condition or not. Elyn Saks, a professor of Law, Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Southern California and herself someone who takes medication and therapy for schizophrenia wrote in an article, “I asked the lead investigator what percentage of people with schizophrenia were doing well, he responded that we should ask how many could do well if society devoted proper resources. I thought that was exactly the
right answer”.
Mental health as a universal human right implies more than just accessible, affordable, good quality care; it means the right to full participation and inclusion in society, greater autonomy, equal opportunities and more dignity and respect for those with mental illnesses. It also means access to adequate living and working conditions, security, food, housing- all things necessary for people’s mental health. In essence, it would mean a better world for all.
Carl Sagan, an astronomer and author said, “We can judge our progress by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers, our willingness to embrace what is true rather than what feels good.” Psychiatry has found many an answer in the last few decades- biological causes of mental illnesses, effective and evidence-based treatments to name a few. It has embraced the sometimes uncomfortable reality of mental illness and society’s perception towards it and initiated awareness and myth-busting campaigns and helped formulate legislations like the Mental Health Care Act 2017 to address the same. It’s always been a field with questions and now is the time for braver ones and “How can we create a state, country and world where mental health is a universal human right?” is definitely one of them.
The answer to the question is multipronged. Enhancing awareness, decreasing stigma and societal prejudices, integrating mental health with general health care, strengthening community programmes, investing in capacity building, making essential medicines and psychosocial interventions accessible, long-term political commitment, greater rights-based advocacy and catalysing a transition in the way society perceives mental health and those with mental illnesses would all be necessary.
Goa is doing well in many of these aspects, and the recently launched TeleMANAS (Tele Mental health Assistance and Networking Across States) with 24x7 free services (Call 14416 or 1800-891-4416) is another step in the right direction.
(Dr Colin Braganza, MD Psychiatry, is a psychiatrist who believes that increasing the conversation around mental health is a key step towards creating a better world for us all.)
