Do you know that one out of five people in India needs psychological counselling at least once in their life? The fact might seem alarming but that’s the true picture revealed by a government study conducted in 2012. Mental illness is one of the most misunderstood and understated issues in India. Let’s take a look at a few startling facts regarding mental illness:
1. According to statistics released by the Government of India in 2012, at least 20% of Indians need psychological counselling at some point in their life. About 1% of the total population suffer from serious mental disorders while 5-10% of Indians suffer from moderate mental health issues.
2. A study conducted by the National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health in 2005 found that total 5% of the Indian population suffer from common mental illnesses such as anxiety, and depression.
3. A report published by The Lancet and The Lancet Psychiatry in 2016 reports that in 2013, about 31 million people in India suffered from mental issues that seriously affected their quality of life. The report further mentions that by 2025 about 38.1 million years of healthy life in India will be lost to mental health problems.
4. The report by The Lancet and The Lancet Psychiatry also shows that in India, substance disorder is more common in men than women. Compared to women, the rate of drug dependence disorders is higher in men.
5. Under the China-India Mental Health Alliance project launched by The Lancet and The Lancet Psychiatry, they found that India alone accounts for 15% of the world’s total mental, substance-use, and neurological disorders.
6. The report mentions that between 2012 and 2025 the rate of healthy lives lost to dementia will increase from 1.7 million to 3.2 million (about 82%) in India.
7. Mental health issues are the most underrated issues in India. One of the lead authors of the report by The Lancet and The Lancet Psychiatry and Professor of International Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Dr Vikram Patel said that majority of the people with mental health issues in India do not receive treatment. There are only 0.3 psychiatrists per 100,000 people in India.
8. In India, the number of public mental hospitals is 443. However, six states in the North and East India that has a combined population of about 56 million doesn’t have any mental hospital. NGOs that provide mental health services are mainly based in the Western and Southern parts of India.
These facts shed light on the neglected state of awareness and attention on mental health problems. However, steps are being taken to address the issue. If you are looking depression treatment in Kolkata or any other mental health issue.
