While Remembering Sushant Singh Rajput...

Sushant Singh's death has certainly shattered all sensitive citizens of this country and of-course the media which always looked for sensational news has been publishing opinions/views/pictures of Sushant. Suddenly now the focus has turned to 'how we should help those who are in distress', "Give me a call friend and I will be there', 'learn to open-up', ' Share your problems with your loved ones' kind of advice are pouring in. Different Thought leaders are writing articles stressing the need for communication, the importance of coping up with stress, etc. While this all can be taken in a very right spirit, it has only once again shown how ill-informed we are about mental health in general and how causally we are approaching the whole issue. The issue is just not opening up and doing the right kind of communication but it's much more than that and I am trying to highlight the same.

Just to share with you all quick numbers: the 2019 report of WHO says that 7.5% of the Indian population suffers from some form of mental disorder. Mental illness constitutes one-sixth of all health-related disorders and India contributes to 15% of the global overall mental disorders. Most bothersome is that by 2020 WHO predicts, roughly 20% of India's populations will be having some or other kinds of mental disorders. This is a huge number and to cater that as per WHO there are only 4000 odd mental health professionals. Needless to say, there are even fewer hospitals catering to inhouse treatment for mental health sufferers.

It's very naive to imagine that one who is suffering from mental health issues will approach on his/her own to his/her well-wisher for help. One most important reason is he/she will not be sure what advice he/she will get. For example, Depression has a spectrum of symptoms from mild to very severe. And if a depression sufferer approaches for an adviser, typical suggestions are:

1) You think too much! don't worry everything will be fine

2) Go for a walk

3) Chill yaar, let us have a drink.

What is not understood is depression which is often referred to as Clinical depression is different from 'feeling low mood, temporarily'. The advice of the kind mentioned above doesn't work in this case because Clinical depression is mainly caused by hormonal imbalances in the brain and for which medication along with certain exercises is the only solution. 

However, the problem with most of us is: Firstly recognizing it as a mental illness and not considering it a very inferior thing. Many avoid visiting a mental health practitioner till it reaches a point where it starts hurting a person's overall health, hygiene, career, relationship, etc. Most mental health issues require careful and persistent medication under the supervision of a mental health professional and being in the company of loved ones. Talking about mental health issues openly is taboo. The kind of thumbs up we will give for fully recovered cancer patients, we may not give similar thumbs-up for schizophrenic patients who just returned from the mental hospital! 

What I read from media reports, I felt Sushant was just not suffering from depression but something more than that. He also stopped his medication which is a common issue in many mental health sufferers. Probably in such a scenario admitting into the hospital would have been a very right thing. But I would imagine in a very competitive, image sensitive industry that he was in, he probably can't afford to see news of that kind which might take a toll on his opportunities. 

Interestingly in the industry that he was in has supported the spread of myths about mental health sufferers. Most of them have painted mental health issues associated with murder, paranormal activities, re-birth, etc. In reality, mental health sufferers are very sensitive to others and will hardly harm others. There is a difference between psychopaths and those who have mental issues.

So as long as we treat mental health issues as a taboo, as long as we don't accept the mind too can fall sick like the body, as long as we don't spend time in understanding different kinds of mental health issues and make ourselves aware, Sushants will continue to happen.

And treatment is only the tip of the iceberg! Rehabilitation of the mental health sufferers is far more challenging and has a direct impact(direct positive impact) on the recovery.

While Govt has taken a few right steps such as a) Not treating attempt to suicide as crime b) including mental health treatment as part of insurance coverage c) considering mental health sufferers under disability and providing certain reservation in Govt job, a lot needs to be done still.

Corporates can think about conducting mental health awareness programs, creating job opportunities, funding NGOs dedicated to mental health issues, etc.

Mental health is a far more serious problem than what's being considered now. Careful planning and mitigating strategies are required to be thought of. Otherwise, we are staring at being honored as the capital of mental health sufferers.