A perfect storm

Context: The global pandemic COVID-19 has provided a historic opportunity to invest in and transform India’s mental healthcare system.

Understanding the nature of mental health distress :

• Major contributor of illness in India:

•  Third of all female and a quarter of all male suicide deaths in the world.
• Most of this illness and related deaths go unnoticed.

• Fragmented mental healthcare system: failed to reach more than 10 per cent of the population. 

• Impact of pandemic: 

• Pandemic of fear: Fears related to uncertainties have increased experiences of anxiety, fearfulness, sleep problems, irritability and hopelessness pertaining to: 

• Personal risk of being infected.
• When life will return to normal.
• What are our future economic prospects.

• Deaths of despair: Suicides and substance abuse are driven by

• Growing inequality.
• Weakening position of labour.
• Deep polarisation of society.
• Lack of prospects for the future.

Way forward: 

• Acknowledgement: No one size fits all prescription is available; one should acknowledge his/her own mental health, as much as physical health.

• For E.g: Feeling irritable for no reason should be as important as feeling pain in the chest. 

• Talking to someone: is a way to feel better and to reduce stigma For E.g.: “It’s Ok to Talk” initiative to share one’s mental health.
• Do something for others: Care-giving and community service makes life more rewarding as per science. 
• Reminding ourself : that all humanity is being affected by pandemic and this epochal event will pass.

• Use of technology: Seeking professional help if distress is persistent with the  help of telemedicine platforms.

• This will also act as a demonstration of feasibility of remote delivery and value of psychological therapies.

• Deployment of community health workers: to deliver psychosocial interventions in the under-resourced communities utilising ingeniously pioneered frugal innovations.

• Investment: in a mental health care system. 
• Embracing diversity: of experiences and strategies beyond the narrow confines of traditional biomedicine.