Overcoming the stigma of mental illness for a better society

By Rhea Haobam
2 MA Public Policy
Christ University, Bangalore
There was a lot of debate about mental health. We are often asked what this means and what to watch out for. Mental health is affected by emotional, psychological and social factors. When one of them gets confused, we lose the balance maintained between these sectors of our existence. People with mental illness find it difficult to express themselves because of the stigma associated with mental illness. If you’ve ever suffered with a mental health issue, you know that it can be just as damaging as physical diseases. However, it is commonly dismissed as being entirely in one’s head.
In reality, mental and physical health are typically intertwined. Not only can mental health disorders have physical symptoms, but they also increase the probability of developing physical health issues.
Analyzing mental health
Mental health becomes really important in today’s generation. It shapes how we see the world, including our emotions, and how we respond to it. It influences our eating and sleeping habits, as well as pretty much everything else we do. Every year, mental diseases impact 19% of the adult population, 46% of teens, and 13% of children. We meet a lot of folks who we have no idea have a mental health problem. Because it’s not visible like other things, it’s in the brain.
In less-developed nations, the treatment gap, defined as the absolute difference between the prevalence of mental diseases and the treated proportion, has been shown to be between 76 and 85 percent. A lack of resources is one of the key reasons of such large discrepancies in therapy. In India, both infrastructural and human resources are in short supply. Despite significant improvements in important health indicators, India contributes disproportionately to the global disease burden. In comparison to other middle-income nations and India’s regional neighbours, our health indices are poor.
According to the WHO, over 20% of Indians would be affected by mental disorders by 2020. We have less than 4,000 mental health professionals to treat this population.
The stigmatization of mental health is a revolving cycle
Public stigma associated with mental illness has a stronger negative impact on young people seeking treatment than it does on adults. Young people who suffer from mental illnesses are more prone to be socially separated from the rest of society. Furthermore, when compared to adults, young people are less likely to seek help for mental health issues due to concerns about confidentiality, peer pressure, a desire to be self-sufficient, a lack of knowledge about mental health problems, or a lack of awareness about mental-health-related services. Adolescents, rather than young adults, found it more challenging to reveal their mental health difficulties in research.
Stigmas can include things like saying that someone should be hospitalized for their mental illness, that it is caused by a lack of self-control and willpower, that people with mental illnesses should not be given any responsibilities, not wanting to live next to them, being afraid of them and believing they are harmful to the environment, labelling them as attention seekers and overthinking and overreacting in simple matters, and so on.
To honor our mental health and combat stigmas
Mental disease has no particular appearance; it is unconcerned about your gender, social class, race, or financial situation. When two persons are involved in a scenario, one with an evident mental health disease and the other without one or with a less visible condition, the person with the less obvious ailment frequently exploits the mental illness of the other person to acquire power and control over them. As a result, the individual suffering from the condition seems “crazy,” and their symptoms intensify. This is what the rest of the world overlooks, and it exacerbates the stigma connected with mental illness.
Small changes in a person’s feelings, ideas, and behavior might signal the start of a mental health problem. Changes that are consistent and severe may suggest that they have or are developing a mental health problem. It’s crucial to start a conversation about obtaining help if anything doesn’t feel quite right. Let them know how much you appreciate them and how much you care about them. Showing support, listening to their narrative, and validating their feelings are all things that may be done. Inquire about the best way you can help them, and pay attentively to what they have to say. Consider how difficult it may be for them to open up to you. Other things, on the other hand, are far more difficult for them to articulate.
Those struggling with mental health concerns should understand that their difficulties do not lessen their strength, and their mistakes do not contradict their progress. Never compare your abilities to those of others because strength, difficulty, and endurance are all relative. Things happen in life that are beyond explanation at times. Despite the fact that you have no control over what life throws at you, you can heal and rise again. From the outside, it’s frequently impossible to discern what you might need from someone else. As a result, it is critical to prioritize one’s own mental health and have the courage to seek help. People who care about you will be there to support you, but when it comes to your mental health, you must take the lead. This is the first and foremost step to combat the stigmas on mental health!