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| Mental illness turning into monster | | |
Cases of mental illness are on rise in Jammu and Kashmir. There are many reasons for these cases witnessing a rise. Broken marriages, stress within the family and staying in isolation lead to a person falling into depression. For most people, distraction has always been one of the key ways to neglect anxiety and depression.
Mental illness is a deadly disease but there is little to no awareness about it. It is also a fact that the people having mental illness not only face the public stigma which is the reaction that the general population has towards them but also self-stigma which is defined as the prejudice which they turn against themselves. Unless extensive services are made available it won’t be possible to address the mental issues.
According to the surveys conducted internationally children as well as adults experience mental health conditions, but a majority of them do not seek help or receive care. Half of all mental health conditions start at age 14. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15-19 year-olds.
National Mental Health Survey 2015-16 had revealed that nearly 9.8 million young Indians aged between 13-17 years are in need of active interventions. The suicide rate among the youngsters cannot be brought down till parents and elders intervene. They have to keep a watch over the activities of youth. If they feel that youth are going astray they need to talk to them. It is important to be sensitive, to normalize mental illness and create safe spaces. These are the subtle, yet bold and impactful means of starting a conversation. It is very hard for the youth to open up and share what they might be going through. Moreover, in small towns across India, it is equally difficult to find proper resources or a psychologist. Let alone Jammu and Kashmir, all states and UTs across India spend little on mental health care.
The last two years of pandemic have added to the cases of mental illness as many people have lost their jobs and businesses, besides students also have remained away from the educational institutions.
Mental illness is a serious concern and it cannot be ignored. It’s not only the government which can help a collective effort at every level is needed to address this concern, which can turn into a monster, if left unattended. |
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