24 July 2024 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) Societal apathy towards mental health issues has resulted in the marginalization of individuals dealing with mental disorders. Elaborate and suggest measures to bring mental health concerns from the periphery into the mainstream.

(150 Words/10 Marks)

ANS

Mental disorders are conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, and behaviour. They may be occasional or long-lasting (chronic) and can affect the ability to relate to others and carry out day to day functions in a normal way.

The narrow understanding of disability can be seen as:

1. Disability is understood in the narrow sense of physical impairment alone.

E.g., A person with social anxiety may not be seen as disabled.

2. Mental disability is generally played down through their trivialization.

E.g., Someone suffering from depression is criticized for lack of discipline or willpower.

3. Due to poor research and categorization mental disorders are seldom detected.

4. Signs of mental ailments are often associated with superstitious beliefs.

These aspects have contributed towards marginalization of people suffering from mental disorders in the following manner:

1. People with mental disorders are presumed to be unfit for any economic activity.

E.g., despite provisions for reservations for conditions such as autism, their participation in public jobs is limited.

2. Mental disability is viewed as a stigma and is seldom reported due to fear of ostracization.

E.g., Parents either live in denial or hide the mental illness of children.

3. In the absence of properly trained staff, the mental and psychosocial patients are either treated on an ad-hoc basis or become a liability to parents/relatives.

4. Government initiatives inadvertently leave out mental and psychosocial patients from the welfare radar.

E.g., No campaign/scheme for social acceptance or awareness for mental disorders.

5. The patients are viewed as a danger to society.

E.g., a person suffering from bipolar disorder may find it difficult to gain social acceptance.

6. Mentally challenged suffer a double whammy during the time of crisis/epidemics, as seen during the covid19 pandemic.

In order to create an inclusive and robust ecosystem for the mental and psychosocial patients it is important to ensure that:

1. The Rights of PWD Act, 2016 and mental health act should include provisions for categorization of mental and psychosocial disorders.

2. Existing provisions should be implemented steadfastly.

E.g., recently, the Patna HC expressed displeasure over poor implementation of Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

3. Awareness campaigns should be undertaken to widen the social understanding of mental and psychosocial disorders.

4. Development of human and infrastructure resource base to provide specialized care.

E.g., National Health Policy, recommends adequate share of budget for mental health problems consistent with its large incidence.

As per experts, India may be facing a hidden mental health pandemic. Adequate steps should be taken for addressing the shortcomings. This also becomes an imperative as India is a signatory to the UNCRPD.