It is becoming increasingly important to address the issues surrounding mental health in India today. When it comes to such a grey area such as mental health, tracking progress and tracking the number of people who are affected by mental health disorders can be quite an ordeal considering India’s population and the taboo that once surrounded it. As times are changing quite drastically, mental illnesses have become increasingly common, and one of our greatest challenges today. Being from a diverse country such as ours has made the problem of mental health an even more intricate issue than any other issue today. With mental illnesses on the rise, the kind of support systems needed to deal with the influx of such mental health cases are fewer in comparison. According to a research conducted by the NCBI, India, a country with the 2nd highest population in the world, has only 0.75 psychiatrists for every 100,000 patients. This is a staggering number considering WHO’s prediction that mental illnesses could in and by itself cause significant economic losses mounting up to $1.03 trillion.
Factors Contributing to Mental Health Decline:
Groundbreaking interventions in the field of mental health in India are a need of the hour, if our country was to develop holistically, catering to people from all stratas of society. Even on a global scale, as per WHO, depression afflicts over 264 million people yearly. With statistics like these, it’s all the more important to draw attention and awareness to the need for stronger mental health support systems, and a general awareness of how to help someone who might be in need.
Since the pandemic, a lot more online resources for mental wellbeing have been initiated, with a lot of online forums, doctors, and practitioners setting up remote sessions to cater to the aftermath that the pandemic had on mental health.
There are many factors today that are contributing to a decline in people’s mental wellbeing. Here, we touch upon a few key factors that are resulting in an increase in mental illnesses like depression, adhd, bipolar disorder, eating disorders (among several others) today.
If you or a loved one find yourselves feeling sad, confused, irritable or down for long periods of time, have anxious patterns like excessive worrying or feelings of low-self esteem and guilt, sudden changes in mood, social withdrawal, loss of a sense of reality, unhealthy eating habits, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, changes in one’s sex drive, anger or violence or the likes, it’s best to consult a mental health specialist to get the help needed and recover.
There is No Shame in Seeking Help:
For a lot of people, seeking out help when it comes to a mental illness is considered taboo. While much may have changed in the mental health space with a lot more people gaining awareness on the need for mental health support, there’s still a long way to go when it comes to taking initiative in seeking out help. Having a mental illness is just like having another physical ailment, and the hope is that mental illness can be cured, or at the very least treated to reach a manageable state. There is no shame in seeking out help when it comes to your own mental wellbeing, or the mental well being of a loved one. One of the best ways we can show up for ourselves and others is by being brutally Jainhonest with ourselves about our needs and taking proactive measures toward bettering ourselves and helping our loved ones do so as well.
If you or someone you know is suffering from any mental illness, know that it is treatable and that there are several online support groups and virtual therapy sessions that are dedicatedly helping improve people’s all-round wellbeing.
Online Resources to Get You Started On Your Journey:
Inara Collection has a team of dedicated mental health counselors, including psychotherapy and psychiatry counseling services. They are passionate about helping individuals realize their full potential through evidence-based therapeutic and/or clinical interventions.
As their website says, the team at Inara are ethically-driven, with an aim toward making mental health services more accessible. Through their efforts, they have created a safe space for people to work through their complex emotions and gain deeper insight into their traumas and ultimately, themselves. With an inclusive approach to mental health, they work with people from various socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientatons, cultures, and age groups. The space they have created for therapy is queer affirmative and empathetic.
Inara Collective values and respects the uniqueness of every individual, working in tandem with people to create and craft plans that cater to their specific needs. Tying both psychotherapy and psychiatry in their approach, has allowed for a more holistic care, crafted individually for each individual.
"LiveLoveLaugh aims to give hope to every person experiencing stress, anxiety and depression." At its core, LiveLoveLaugh is an idea, a movement, and a metaphor for hope. Arising from her personal journey with anxiety and depression, LiveLoveLaugh (LLL) was founded in 2015 by actor Deepika Padukone. The Foundation combines knowledge and domain expertise to create awareness about mental health, reduce stigma associated with mental illness, and provide credible mental health resources.
LLL’s programs and outreach are conducted and implemented through partnerships and collaborations.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Divija Bhasin, the founder, says about how mental health should become a part of our daily conversations and life.
“Absolutely. It should be as common and normal as talking about a cold or a fever. If we don’t talk about it, we won’t acknowledge that there is a problem, and that will just make the problem worse. With kids, we can teach them how to verbalize their feelings early on. When it comes to parents, it can be a bit difficult to initiate conversation about mental health, since they might not be used to it, but a good way to do it would be to talk in a language they’ll understand. Don’t just say “I have been feeling anxious”. Explain how it stops you from doing things and there’s a higher chance they’ll understand or even relate,” she affirms.
Divija Bhasin is like your girl next door, and that’s what makes her more relatable to those who are looking for some simple and effective mental health advice. Having started her page on Instagram, she has helped several thousands of her followers with her insight into mental health by creating a strong online support system. She goes by the name of awkwardgoat3 on Insta, and she regularly posts content touching upon various topics like anxiety, depression, etc.
The Alternative Story is a well-known mental wellbeing center that provides mental health services to people from all stratas of society. Their psychology and psychiatric services are affordable, intersectional feminist, trauma-informed, queer-affirmative, caste-aware, kink-aware, and overall well informed. Due to their openness in their approach to mental health, they have created safe spaces for several people to come and seek the kind of help they need.
Talk to Me was founded with a goal to create awareness about mental health and transform lives of those suffering and in need. Narendra Kinger, with 32 years of experience in the field of mental health started out as a practicing Clinical Psychologist, Counsellor & Psychotherapist, and went on to found Talk To Me. His vision had a special emphasis on providing mental health services to deprived sections of society. With some of the most experienced mental health professionals on board, we are committed to give you the help you need and achieve results that you want.
It is never too late to ask for help, or even reach out for the sake of a loved one. While there are several NGOs out there that are doing some great work in the mental health spectrum, the above are just a few well-known names to get you started. When it comes to therapy, there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach. It may be that you reach out to a few before you find the right kind of help you need, as the whole point of reaching out is to get effective help, customized to your personal need.
Mental wellbeing is a matter that is very close to our hearts at Gubbacci. Not just that, while we make t-shirts, we strive towards adding value in the lives of people and communities around us. A t-shirt is one of the boldest ways to make a statement today, and our collection aims to challenge the taboo that surrounds mental health, prodding people to pay attention to their mental health needs to get the kind of help they need.
Our pre-designed mental health collection is up on our website here. However, if you wish to design your own t-shirt with a message on mental health, our online design tool helps you do just that. Right from choosing the colour to the style, fabric and design, you can now wear your mind, your heart on your sleeves, and strike important conversations and instigate the change you wish to see around you.
You can visit Gubbacci design Studio to design your own custom T-shirt. And you can also browse some best selling collections like Anxiety Awareness Collection, Diabetes Awareness Collection, Alzheimers Awareness Collection and many more.
