Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the distress, isolation, fear and anxiety that followed, mental health and well-being is a critical conversation that has arisen. India faces an acute mental health crisis. Mental morbidity (weighted prevalence) affects over 1 in 7 Indians during their lifetime, at least one in five adults suffers from depression at some point in their life, and suicides are on the rise, with 12 deaths by suicide per lakh population in 2021. It is crucial for us, now more than ever, that we shift from a purely treatment-driven approach to ensuring holistic care, even at the primary healthcare level, by equipping individuals and communities with the right knowledge, and addressing the stigma which inhibits health-seeking behaviour for mental health.
In this episode of Decoding Impact, we are joined by Dr Soumitra Pathare, Consultant Psychiatrist and Director of the Centre of Mental Health Law and Policy, based at the Indian Law Society, Pune. Dr Pathare shares with us his views on understanding mental health and its socio-cultural nuances in the Indian context, barriers that limit the mental health interventions, understanding the treatment gap and recommendations to solve for mental health at the systemic level.
