World mental health day: How to help and which organisations to reach out to?

Mental health: Why is it still an isolated concept?
Mental health is still seen differently from physical health. It is assumed that mental health has something to do with a faulty brain, however, this is far from the truth. Mental illness is as much a serious condition as any other anomaly that one experiences in the body. In fact, our whole body is a system of interconnected micro-systems, which work together to keep our overall health in check. So, if you are feeling anxious or restless, your body will respond by releasing stress hormones, ultimately affecting your physical health. Therefore, to build the foundation of well-being and efficient functioning, a balance needs to be maintained to ensure good physical and mental health.

World mental health day 2022: The current theme
Since mental health plays a crucial role in determining the productivity of each person, a compounded effect is seen when we put together the collective loss of productivity due to mental illnesses. Projections around mental illnesses suggest that a global economic loss of $1.03 trillion is estimated between the years 2012 and 2030. In India, more than 14 per cent of the people suffer from one or the other mental illness with a suicide rate of 21.1 per lakh population. These estimates worsened during the pandemic when social isolation, more than social distancing, took a toll on people’s mental health, and their own thoughts, emotions, behaviours, political and economic environment aggravated the situation.

On this mental health day, global health organisations, such as the World Health Organisation and World Federation of Mental Health, have encouraged all of us to take this opportunity to reconnect and rekindle the efforts for improving mental health of people around us. This year’s theme “Making mental health and well-being for all a global priority”, emphasises on strengthening the efforts towards better prevention, treatment and rehabilitation for mental-health issues.

Depression and anxiety are more common than we know
A recent comprehensive estimate of mental illnesses across India reported that anxiety and depression are among the most common mental disorders, with approximately 45 million people suffering from each. We need more awareness among people in general to let these issues be discussed out in the open. The stigma associated with mental illnesses makes it even harder for people who need support to reach out and seek help. Some people are more vulnerable than the others, which makes it imperative to know whether you’re at risk. Noticing one’s mental health, observing our thoughts, behaviour and actions can give cues to understand whether your mental health is getting affected. The sooner you know, the quicker it is to find the right preventative measures to ensure things don’t get worse.