As many as 15 crore people in the country are suffering from mental health problems but only 3 crore have access to proper medical care, leaving nearly 80% of them without medical aid. The available statistics suggest one in every 10 individuals require mental health attention and one in 20 suffer from depressive disorder, says N.N. Raju, a professor of psychiatry, in a statement on the occasion of World Mental Health Day.
A total of 1.34 lakh persons committed suicide in India in 2018 and 3/4th of them could have been saved, if good mental health facilities were made available to them in time. The funds allocated to mental health are a meagre 0.05% of the total health budget, which indicates the sorry state of affairs.
Yoga and meditation
B.P. Lalitha, psychiatrist at KIMS ICON Hospital, suggests allocating time for oneself , doing yoga and meditation, spending time with family and friends and recreation were needed to avoid mental health issues.
One should increase their awareness on mental health issues by reading books, listening to talks by experts and watching videos on the subject. One should take medical advice and counselling to overcome severe stress and to deal with the pandemic situation, says Dr. Lalitha.