Mental Health Matters

Abstract

Mental health is a major concern around the world, and India isnot far behind. When we look at developments in the field ofmental health, it appears that the pace is slow. According toexperts, Mental disorders affect 20% of young peopleworldwide. Only 7.3% of India's 365 million youth report suchissues. Although public stigma associated with mental healthproblems has a particular impact on young people seeking help,the extent of stigma among young people in India is unknown.Also, the language used to describe people suffering frommental health conditions in India is frequently negative andinsensitive. Such language contributes to the stigmatization ofmental health by reinforcing negative stereotypes. Language isone of the most powerful tools humans have, and it must beused with care when dealing with those who already feelmarginalized due to their mental health. Individuals withmental health issues are commonly referred to using terms suchas "pagal" and "paagalpan" (meaning "crazy"). Theconversation about mental health has grown in recent years,which is a good sign. Sadly, despite the growing buzz aboutmental health, the language being used is far from disabilityetiquette and lacks even basic sensitivity about how to describevarious mental health difficulties or the people who live withthem. These words not only contribute to the stigmasurrounding mental health, but also reinforce the notion thatpeople with mental illnesses are unpredictable, violent, anddangerous. Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individualrecognises his or her own abilities, can cope with normal lifestresses, can work productively, and can contribute to his or hercommunity. There are numerous mental illnesses, such asdepression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, autism spectrumdisorder (ASD), anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and others, allof which can have a negative impact on an individual'sphysical health and well-being.Some of the barriers to mental health research in India includea lack of adequate mental health professionals (MHPs),insufficient funding, insufficient research trainingopportunities, and the government's low priority for mentalhealth.The goal of this project is to illustrate how language is used todescribe people with mental illnesses suffer and how languagecreates stigma in mental health. As barriers exist in society, thestigma restricts one's ability to open up to others.