Comprehensive Report: Mental Health Illness in Youth - Healthcare

This report provides an overview of mental health illness among youth in India, highlighting its prevalence, causes, and socio-economic impacts. It emphasizes that mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are significant issues affecting young people aged 10-24, with approximately 30% dealing with such disorders. The report discusses the scarcity of mental health resources, including psychiatric beds and professionals, within the Indian healthcare system. It explores factors such as socio-economic conditions, poverty, lack of awareness, and stigma as barriers to accessing care. The report also mentions the impact of unemployment and marital status on mental health, and references studies indicating higher rates of mental disorders among women compared to men. Finally, it touches upon the National Mental Health Programme and the District Mental Health Programme's efforts to provide mental health services at the community level.

Running head: HEALTHCARE
2020
Mental Health Illness

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Overview of Mental Health Illness in Youth People
Mental health is said to be a state of well-being in which people identify their
capabilities, normal life stress, can work effectively and is capable to contribute in the
community. As per the available statistics of the global level, it is identified that mental
sicknesses such as alcohol use disorder, psychoses, and depression are some of the major
reasons that leads to disability. In India, a mental disorder is also considered to be the second-
highest non-communicable disease and around 20 million Indians are diagnosed with a
different type of mental illness. Young people within the age group of 10-24 years in India
are considered to be the precious resource that drives growth and development. However,
30% of young people deal with mental health disorders which require quick attention from
the health professionals (Sunitha & Gururaj, 2014). Due to this before 2030, the economic
loss is anticipated because of the mental health situation is nearly around $1.3 trillion (Gaur
& Ram, 2016). In spite of this huge issue, the health infrastructure and human resources in
the Indian market are very insufficient. As per the data, there are only 0.25 psychiatric beds
for per 10,000 people, whereas there is the availability of only one psychiatrist per 500,000
people. Besides this, there is one psychiatric nurse for per two million people (Gaur & Ram,
2016).
Mental health is impacted by a number of situations like demographic and socio-
economic conditions. The significant factors that have been highlighted in various studies
that are leading to the common mental disorder are socio-economic factors and poverty.
Several evidences reveal that marginalization, lack of education, poverty, and social
disadvantage leads to a higher risk of mental disorders among people through the rising
stressful experience of life. Lack of disease recognition and awareness among people along
with the dominant stigma and discrimination are some of the other significant barriers in
accessing health care and leading segregation. In the Indian market, there are around 10% of

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people who get any type of treatment based on evidence because of the stigma within society
(Birla, 2019).
Suggestions that are presented by the developed nations have led to scholarly debate
related to the mental health through multiple paths comprising lack of resources,
malnutrition, etc. In a similar manner, unemployment is another factor that leads to anxiety as
well as depression. Likewise, marriage is also a significant factor that has constantly been
linked with mental health, with the discussion about married people have improved mental
health in comparison to either never married or formerly married. As per the research
conducted by Balakrishnan & Sasha (2019), indicated that in comparison to men, women are
twice times more likely to deal with the general mental disorders, like depression. As per the
data of the World Health Organization, there is more possibility for women to experience the
trauma, because of the sexual abuse, and hence incline to deal with Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD). In addition to this, a survey was conducted in 2015-16 conducted by the
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, discloses that there are around 9.8
million teenagers from the age group of 13-17 years’ experience depression and many other
kinds of mental disorders and require active intervention (Balakrishnan & Sasha, 2019).
In India, the National Mental Health Programme is introduced for offering services of
mental health to the community with the District Mental Health Programme by incorporating
mental health care. This service is provided at the primary level care along with the support
and direction from the district level team of mental health. Presently, DMHP is under
execution in just 123 districts all over in the nation (National Health Mission, 2020).

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References
Balakrishnan, R., & Sasha, R. (2019). India has the highest number of suicides among youth.
So, what ails our young girls? Retrieved from
https://yourstory.com/herstory/2019/10/world-mental-health-day-women-suicides
Birla, N. (2019). Mental health in India: 7.5% of country affected; less than 4,000 experts
available. Retrieved from
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/mental-health-in-india-7-5-
of-country-affected-less-than-4000-experts-available/articleshow/71500130.cms?
from=mdr
Gaur, K., & Ram, U. (2016). Mental health problems among youth in India and its correlates.
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, 9(2), 95-108.
National Health Mission. (2020). National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). Retrieved
from https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=2&sublinkid=1043&lid=359
Sunitha, S., & Gururaj, G. (2014). Health behaviors & problems among young people in
India: Cause for concern & call for action. Indian Journal of Medical Research,
140(2), 185-208.