Stigma A 'Silent Epidemic', Hindering Access To Care For Mental Health: Experts

Stigma and lack of awareness are among the major roadblocks towards making care for mental health conditions accessible to people who require help, experts have said, while underlining that early diagnosis is key to better treatment.

- Press Trust Of India

"People hesitate to even acknowledge mental illness," said Dr Neerja Agarwal, a psychologist and the founder of Emoneeds, which provides care to people struggling with mental health problems.

She said it is important to recognise mental illness as a health condition and should be treated as such, not as a personality flaw. "Just as diabetes and blood pressure need lifelong treatment, so too do conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder," Dr Agarwal said.

Dr Deepika Dahima, a scientist at AIIMS, Delhi, also pointed out that stigma remains one of the greatest silent epidemics surrounding mental health in India.