Mental Health.

Can We Talk About It, Please? 

- Meghna Sharma

According to a 2015 WHO study, titled Depression And Other Common Mental Disorders, over 5 crore Indians suffer from depression and over 3 crore have anxiety disorders. Another research by National Mental Health Survey ,states that over 15 crore people across India are in need of mental health care interventions—a staggering figure!

Statistics speak louder than words. Mental disorders are a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. And even more so in India, given the stigma surrounding it. As a nation, we are under-equipped to handle mental health issues on such a large scale. “Currently, we have only 3,500 psychiatrists for millions of Indians suffering from mental illness. India specifically has over 300% shortage of psychologists. Until now, less than 1-2% of the health budget has been dedicated to mental health, in comparison to 10-12% in other countries,” says Dr Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Healthcare. But the bigger problem might be that we simply don’t want to talk about mental health, preferring to brush issues like anxiety, depression, and panic attacks under the ‘I’m okay’ carpet. Not only does that decrease the quality of life, but the reason it’s critical to talk about mental health is because it can save lives! “Spreading awareness about the importance of psychological health, just like physical health, will help reduce the stigma and the ignorance towards it,” says Delhi-based psychologist Harsheen K Arora.

But five courageous women, by sharing stories of their individual struggles, are helping us lift the veil and speak about mental health candidly. Here’s them telling us how they overcame their fears, and that you are not alone.

RICHA CHADHA, Actor