“This assault on my mind. Please help me.” Many experience ‘long COVID-19’, wherein they struggle with symptoms long after initial infection. While it is important to discuss the physical aftermath of battling COVID-19, it is also of great importance to discuss the mental health effects. An article published recently in The Wire draws attention to […]
mental health
Mental health treatment still out of reach
COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic have plagued India’s health system. For those affected by mental health issues, treatment is a practical impossibility. Earlier in the year the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that this situation is now not unique to India. “The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in […]
Suicidal behaviour reports increase sharply during COVID-19 lockdown
India witnessed a 67.7 percent increase in media reports of suicidal behaviour during the COVID-19-prompted lockdown. An analysis published in The International Journal of Mental Health Systems of media reports during the period from March 24th to May 3rd this year showed 369 reports compared to 220 reports in the corresponding timeframe the previous year. […]
Persons with disabilities: The Indian view
Today marks International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDWP), an observance dedicated to celebrating them and raising awareness of their conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated in its World Report on Disability 2021 that fifteen percent of the global population lives with some form of disability. This translates to more than one billion people. […]
Men’s mental health: The Indian perspective
This year, International Men’s Day foregrounded the importance of boys’ and men’s health. Men’s mental health is deserving of particular attention. The observance occurs annually on November 19th. Though introduced in 1992, it is a relatively recent occurrence for India. The country first celebrated the occasion in 2007, led by men’s rights advocacy groups such […]
Mental healthcare during COVID: Govt. hands down ruling
The Union Government has handed down regulations concerning mental healthcare amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. On Sunday, the Centre offered instructions as to how mental health issues ought to be handled in the form of a series of guidelines. As reported by Livemint, the substance of the guidelines include that “The Government suggested establishing a hotline […]
Mental healthcare taking a hit in COVID-19
It is no surprise to anyone by this point that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in most – if not all – other health conditions have been neglected. Mental health issues are no exception. The findings of a recent World Health Organization (WHO) survey on the impact on mental healthcare underscore this. “The COVID-19 pandemic […]
Suicide prevention: Why it’s critical
The spectrum of mental health disorders is diverse, but what is uniform among them is that they are noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Suicide, tragically, is an outcome of a number of mental health disorders. This is why suicide prevention is so important. “The Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) Cluster is concerned with the rapid rise […]
Karnataka shows how COVID-19 has hit Indians’ mental health and wellbeing
Recent reports from Karnataka encapsulate how the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the state of Indians’ mental health and wellbeing. Reports indicate that the Karnataka state government has treated almost 8,000 people with medication for mental health issues connected to COVID-19 and conducted approximately 480,000 counselling sessions since May. Those counselled and/or treated for mental health […]
Suicide of AIIMS doctor noted by Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has paid tribute to a resident doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, following his death by suicide. “Shocked & distressed to hear of the painful death of young & most brilliant Dr Anurag Kumar, Junior Resident at AIIMS Delhi,” […]