Caroline Praveen

High School Runner-Up, Grade 11
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

From Shame to Support: Hope for Indian Mental Health

Blood-shot eyes, a patchy beard, and incessant quivering marked his appearance. Sitting across the young man in a local clinic in Kochi, Kerala, I found myself overcome with empathy rather than fear. He approached the counter, and I watched as he folded his hands atop his head in anguish once informed the nearest psychiatrist was stationed 95 kilometers away. Murmuring bitterly that it had taken him months to build the courage to seek even local support for his mental health struggles, he left in disappointment. His issue is commonplace, posing a unique hindrance to India’s development.

Indian Mental Health: An Untold Story.

If a striking 150 million Indians require professional mental health treatment, why do just one-fifth seek it (Barnagarwala)? The cause for this lack of mental health acknowledgement in India is multifaceted, dating back to the nation’s inception; however, the issue’s persistence should be attributed to its modern representation and the stigma by which it is surrounded.

Generally, mental health is the amalgamation of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Contrary to widespread belief, its disorder does not have a singular cause; rather, it results from any combination of genetics, environment, traumatic events, and more, collectively coined risk factors (MHA). In India, scarcity of resources and awareness alongside weak social support systems exacerbate risk factors, so anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, and schizophrenia are particularly prevalent. A 2017 study published in the NIH reports that the largest contributors to disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), were depressive disorders (33.8%) and anxiety disorders (19.0%) (India State-Level). The resulting suicide rate is 11.6 per 100,000, equating to a staggering approximate 164,372 deaths in India’s population, which is double the total disease burden from 1990 (Rej).

The stigma surrounding professional treatment amplifies mental health disorders in India.

Bias is partially associated with poor dissemination of information regarding such services in poverty-stricken regions in which these disorders are prevalent due to the stress of financial constraints and inferior social status. However, the most substantial culprit behind stereotypes that plague the nation lies within the community itself; 74.61% of Indians reported unfavorable opinions on the mentally ill (Venkatesh). The extent of this percentage reflects an overlap between those who abhor mental health disorders and the disorderly themselves. Psychological issues are regarded as the indication of supernatural interference and thus ostracized in their entirety; a largely overlooked cause for these beliefs is the Bollywood film industry. Brandishing a gross revenue of nearly 114 billion rupees, Bollywood is the most influential form of entertainment in India (Basuroy). In its infancy, the industry’s films severely stigmatized mental health disorders by villainizing mentally ill characters and frequently including paranormal elements to demonstrate the perceived futility of treatment. Such films hold unparalleled

influence, and despite any improvement in their representation as Bollywood modernizes, their mental health professionals remain characterized as peculiar (Pathak).

Though less frequently addressed, prevailing masculine stereotypes in India exacerbate an existing dire situation. The urge to appear stoic and avoid judgement has contributed to a suicide rate increase 200% more compared to women’s, despite their being diagnosed with depression and anxiety at strikingly lower levels (Kashyap). The nation’s steadfast history of patriarchy develops a toxic environment in which “men grow up being told that they are stronger, more capable, and more powerful than women” (Gill). Ironically, this system poses nominal benefit to men; forced to uphold such expectations, they suppress struggles to the extent that they take their lives. Due to both the stigma and lack of research surrounding men’s mental health in India, the issue calls for international advocacy.

The Solution Starts With Us.

1. MINDS ACT

   Fortunately, the United States has been taking steps to improve mental health in both India and globally. The passage of the MINDS Act in 2021 signified the inclusion of psychiatric resources in US foreign aid to developing countries, creating a position for a psychosocial support coordinator within USAID. Due to its novelty, the act prioritizes service in active conflict zones. As Americans, we hold the power to lobby for a reallocation of taxpayer funds that expands the MINDS Act to address the suffering of 16.4% of Indians living in multidimensional poverty, in which mental health crises are most pervasive (Kumar).

2. Corporate Social Responsibility

   Myriad American companies such as Amazon, Coca-Cola, Google, and Apple have large offshore sites in India; because they are based in the US, we must push for more targeted corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR encourages company-wide philanthropic efforts to bolster public image. Thus, if Americans utilize their influence as consumers to advocate for CSR that revamps mental health resources in India, every party involved benefits.

3. Overseas Awareness

   As banal as it may seem, creating international awareness for this challenge expedites progress; discussion here prompts transformation there. By creating regional nonprofit organizations that raise funds for larger NGOs like The MINDS Foundation, Sangath, and The Banyan, which address men’s mental health crises in India, we leverage our privilege and resources to maximize our impact as Americans. Moreover, expanding awareness curtails the stigma that cripples men in their path to seeking psychological support.

Such biases may be deep-rooted in India’s culture, but every act of our support ameliorates its most pressing developmental issue; with collaboration, the plight of the man in the clinic and those sharing his situation can resolve to reveal untapped Indian potential.