Hyderabad: World Mental Health Day is observed every year globally on October 10th to create awareness regarding mental health. People used to shy away from talking to others about their mental health so that others do not perceive them as mentally unstable. But in the present times, especially after the global outbreak of Corona, conversations about maintaining one's mental health have increased.
At the same time, in the last few years, there has been a significant rise in the number of cases of mental problems in people of all ages according to the statistics and results provided by psychiatrists and various researchers around the world. Therefore, the importance of "World Mental Health Day" has increased even more.
Every year, World Federation for Mental Health organizes World Mental Health Day with different themes in order to create awareness among the general public regarding the main factors related to mental disorders and diseases globally. In the year 2022, the theme for World Mental Health Day is "Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority". World Mental Health Day was first announced by the World Federation for Mental Health in 1992. After this, the tradition of observing World Mental Health Day with a new theme every year was started by the United Nations in 1994.
Dr. Veena Krishnan, a Psychiatrist from Uttarakhand, says that although awareness about mental problems has increased among people, in the last few years, due to different reasons, the large number of cases of mental problems has also increased. It is a matter of concern that still a large number of people hesitate to see a doctor and seek treatment despite understanding that they are facing some kind of an issue. At the same time, most people do not find it easy to accept that they are suffering from a mental disorder or a condition despite showcasing all the symptoms.
Dr. Krishnan explains that there are many factors including education, job, unstable future, relationships or workplace stress, the impact of any accident or exploitation, and poor lifestyle in the present times that cause mental problems in women and men of all ages. At the same time, the most worrying fact is that a large number of people facing mental problems are either children or young adults.
Significantly, the statistics of the World Health Organization also confirm that about 16% of the total population of people suffering from mental problems worldwide are between 10 and 19 years of age. It has also been mentioned in various reports released by the organization that one out of every four people in the world faces some mental disorder or neurological disorder at some point in their life. At the same time, around 450 million people are suffering from mental health problems and disorders globally.
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Efforts are also being made by the government regarding mental health care in India. According to the information available on the government website, the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) was launched by the Government of India in the year 1982 to ensure the availability of mental health care to the masses. Its aim was to integrate mental health care into primary health care and move towards community health care. In the year 2014, on 10 October, the National Mental Health Policy was announced.
The Mental Health Care Act 2017 was also introduced by the Government of India to strengthen mental health services. Apart from this, a toll-free mental health rehabilitation helpline 'Kiran' was also launched in 13 languages by the government, an effort during the Covid period, which was aimed at helping people who are suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, pandemic-induced psychological issues, and mental health emergencies through telecommunications.
Significantly, there are different kinds of mental health problems or diseases. Some of these may be due to neurological problems, physical diseases, aging, and heredity while some may be due to accident or shock, physical abuse, separation or family problems, loneliness, poor routine, etc. In some cases, mental health problems become so severe that they can lead to a strong desire in the victim to commit suicide and harm themselves or others. That is why it is very important to try to understand the symptoms at the very beginning of the problem.
At present, the most commonly diagnosed mental health problems in people are depression or stress, anxiety disorders such as General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Anxiety Disorder, Dementia and its various forms such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, Mixed Dementia, Eating Disorder, psychotic disorders such as Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Brief Psychotic Disorder, Delusion Disorder, Substance-Induced Mood Disorder.
Dr. Krishnan explains that most people are not aware of the symptoms and types of mental health problems. Even educated people do not possess much awareness about them. In such a case, by the time the symptoms of a mental disorder or disease are clearly recognized in a person, the condition of the victim has deteriorated. It is very important not only to be mindful of your mental health but also of the behavior of your friends, family, and colleagues. If there is any kind of problem in someone's behavior or early signs or symptoms of any mental disease, then first of all talking to them should be encouraged them to understand their problem and seek medical help if needed.
