{"id":56502,"date":"2025-10-10T19:46:56","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=56502"},"modified":"2025-10-13T12:14:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T06:44:23","slug":"world-mental-health-day-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-10-2025\/world-mental-health-day-3","title":{"rendered":"World Mental Health Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>On October 10, every year,<\/strong> <strong>World Mental Health Day <\/strong>highlights the extent of mental illness in the world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Global Mental Health Issue (as per WHO):<\/strong> More than a billion people are living with mental health disorders.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An estimated 727,000 people across all ages lost their lives to suicide in 2021, with one suicide death happening in over 20 suicide attempts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Suicide accounts for one in every 100 deaths globally.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"f0eff2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #f0eff2;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"644\" height=\"181\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/10\/World-Mental-Health-Day-1.webp\" alt=\"World Mental Health Day\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-56505\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/10\/World-Mental-Health-Day-1.webp 644w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2025\/10\/World-Mental-Health-Day-1-300x84.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Most Common Mental Health Disorders: Anxiety and depressive disorders <\/strong>together accounted for <strong>more than two-thirds <\/strong>of all mental health conditions in 2021.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Between 2011 and 2021, the number of people living with mental disorders increased faster than the global population.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mental Health in India:<\/strong> India has a <strong>13.7% lifetime prevalence<\/strong> of mental disorders in the country.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to the latest NCRB data, <strong>1,71,418 suicides<\/strong> were reported in India in 2023, a 0.3% increase from 2022, with <strong>Maharashtra<\/strong> recording the highest number.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Even more alarming,<strong> student suicides <\/strong>reached 13,892, a <strong>64.9% rise<\/strong> over the past decade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rise in Mental Health Issues Among Youth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Excessive internet &amp; social media use:<\/strong> Leads to anxiety, sleep disorders, and attention issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of family engagement: <\/strong>Weak social support systems negatively impact emotional well-being.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hostile workplaces &amp; long working hours:<\/strong> Cause burnout, stress, and reduced productivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unhealthy lifestyle choices:<\/strong> Ultra-processed foods and lack of physical activity worsen mental and physical health.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Understanding Mental Wellbeing<\/strong><br>&#8211; The India\u2019s National Mental Health Survey defines mental well-being as a multidimensional concept that includes:<br>1. <strong>Emotional health:<\/strong> Managing stress and emotions effectively.<br>2. <strong>Social health:<\/strong> Building healthy relationships and a supportive community.<br>3. <strong>Cognitive health:<\/strong> Enhancing focus, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.<br>4. <strong>Physical health: <\/strong>Maintaining overall fitness through a healthy lifestyle.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Psychiatric Healthcare in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Poor Conditions in Psychiatric Hospitals: <\/strong>Often associated with cruelty, neglect, abuse, and substandard living conditions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reflects systemic neglect and inadequate accountability mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scant Funding: <\/strong>Mental health receives extremely low budget allocation, about 1% of the total health budget, with most going to institutions rather than community-based care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shortage of Trained Personnel:<\/strong>&nbsp; India\u2019s mental health workforce remains scarce; with only 0.75 psychiatrists and 0.12 psychologists for a 1,00,000 population, India falls short of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines requiring at least three psychiatrists for 1,00,000 people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Disproportionate distribution: <\/strong>Few psychiatrists at district HQs, almost none in towns\/villages.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This leads to an urban-rural mental healthcare divide.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessibility &amp; Economic Barriers: <\/strong>Medicines are unavailable in rural\/interior areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Travel to seek care leads to loss of wages, unaffordable for poor families.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Patients with severe mental illness are usually non-earning members, worsening their financial strain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Initiatives by the Government of India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: <\/strong>The act <strong>decriminalised suicide attempts<\/strong> in India and also included WHO guidelines in the categorisation of mental illnesses.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The most significant provision in the act was <strong>\u201cadvance directives\u201d, <\/strong>which allowed individuals with mental illnesses to decide the course of their treatment.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It also <strong>restricted the use of electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)<\/strong> and banned its use on minors, finally introducing measures to tackle stigma in Indian society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2017: <\/strong>The Act acknowledges mental illness as a disability and seeks to enhance the Rights and Entitlements of the Disabled.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In Sukdeb Saha vs State of Andhra Pradesh,<\/strong> the Supreme Court of India reinforced mental health as a<strong> fundamental right under Article 21,<\/strong> thereby legally binding the government to ensure accessible, affordable and quality mental health care.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>District Mental Health Programme (DMHP): <\/strong>Delivered in 767 districts, offering services like suicide prevention, stress management, and counseling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/04-02-2025\/eliminating-elitism-in-mental-health\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/04-02-2025\/eliminating-elitism-in-mental-health\"><strong>National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP):<\/strong> <\/a>Launched in 2022 to provide access to mental health services through 53 Tele MANAS Cells across 36 states\/UTs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expansion of Mental Health Capacity: <\/strong>Strengthening mental health services and educational resources in medical colleges and hospitals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reform Measures Needed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Raise mental health spending to 5% of total health expenditure (WHO benchmark).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Train and deploy mid-level mental health providers to strengthen rural access.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrate mental health fully into primary care and universal insurance schemes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Establish monitoring and evaluation systems with district-level accountability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expand anti-stigma and awareness campaigns, especially in schools and workplaces.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve coordination among ministries to ensure a unified mental health strategy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s mental health ecosystem faces a triple deficit \u2014 in funding, workforce, and governance.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bridging these gaps requires policy integration, decentralised service delivery, and social destigmatisation, aligning with global best practices and WHO guidelines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_international\/issues\/151398\/OPS\/GSNEVMP1R.1+G2UF0O8LO.1.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Context<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">On October 10, every year, World Mental Health Day highlights the extent of mental illness in the world.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong>About<\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Global Mental Health Issue (as per WHO): More than a billion people are living with mental health disorders.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">An estimated 727,000 people across all ages lost their lives to suicide in 2021, with one suicide death happening in over 20 suicide attempts.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">Suicide accounts for one in every 100 deaths globally.\u00a0<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/10-10-2025\/world-mental-health-day-3\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56502"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56502\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56628,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56502\/revisions\/56628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}