Mental illness is underrated in India. People still consider it not a big issue. But, the rate of people reporting anxiety and depression is increasing day by day and saw a big jump during the COVID pandemic. Different age groups faced different problems, and the stage of their mental health suffering varied.

Students lost track of their studies; online classes increased their screen time; and grades started dropping as their focus was shifted. They had no physical activities at their home, which made them couch potatoes, and their laziness started changing into illness. Everyone thought that online classes were beneficial and easy for them, but it spoiled their sleeping and studying cycles. They were stuck in their rooms with their screens alone, making it hard for them to express themselves. In a survey by The State of the World’s Children 2021, 1 in 7 people aged 15–24 years feels depressed and loses interest in doing little things. Their friend circle and social lives shifted online to social media, where many of them could not meet the standards and considered themselves inferior to others. This affected not only their confidence but also their relationship with their families.

Employers lost their routine in the pandemic due to work-from-home policies and were not capable of taking pressure. Furthermore, many of them are required to work away from their families, and living alone in four walls in isolation has harmed their mental health.The7thFold conducted the survey and stated that 36% of Indian employees have mental health issues. On the other hand, the unemployment rate increased, which created a financial liability for them. They were not even able to fulfil their family needs, and at that time, the breakdown turned into anxiety and depression. Some of them also suffered from panic attacks.

In the pandemic, more cases of domestic violence were reported in many countries. This triggered the women and their mental peace. They were prey to their brutal or aggressive family members. According to the National Commission for Women (NCW), there was a 94% increase in the registered cases of domestic violence or assault on women in their homes during the lockdown. They did not feel safe at home or at work (primarily in the health and social sectors).She felt alone among her family members, leading to post-depression syndrome. Even when she was sick, she was needed to serve her family members and care for them. Just like men, they also went through the loss of their jobs and experienced mental instability because of financial conditions.

Researchers observed that severe depression and panic attacks were converted into suicides, leading to a higher rate of suicides. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in 2020, India saw a 39.8% increase in suicides as compared to 2019.

In the budget 2022, the government will look after mental health issues as their priority. On December 7, 2021, Rajya Sabha mentioned that 10.6% of adults in India have some kind of mental disorder. After observing this situation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the National Tele mental Health Program, which will offer mental health counselling to the suffering population. Well, implementation of this initiative will definitely bring fruitful results for the people. This will not only work on their health but also normalize mental health as an illness among Indians rather than a taboo. We can hope that people will start talking about it and consider it as another normal human problem.

Kabir Bansal

Founder & Director

Medvraksh

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