Mental illnesses are disorders that disrupt
thinking, feeling, moods, and behaviors and that impair daily functioning; this
varies from chronic mood disorders (emotional) to major depressive disorders
where it effects such as sleep, causes exhaustion, and inability to
concentrate, to name a few. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
depression will become the 2nd largest illness in another decade; it
affects 1 out of 5 women and 1 out of 12 men. Out of the different types of
mental disorders, India is showing a prevalence of schizophrenia (1.1% of total
population) National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH). In the textbook HEALTH: The Basics (2011) by Rebecca Donatelle, schizophrenia is a mental illness with
biological origins that is characterized by irrational behavior, severe
alterations of the senses, such as hallucinations, and often an inability to
function in society. I believe that the main concern is in India right now is
the poor conditions of the mental institutions and how they are perceived as “mad
houses”, this is not the case—if the Indian government takes the steps
necessary to make better rehabilitation centers including more doctors, and
medicines, then people will become more willing to actually receive the
treatment needed; Paul Sharma states “there is a need to understand that mental
patients can be treated and can lead a normal life again. People fear that if
they are labeled as “crazy”, they will become more unlikely to actually go get
the help that they need and things can become much worse. Although mental
illnesses cannot be cured, they can be treated; to get the support they need
and able to cope more in society. Schizophrenia is not the only illness dealt
with in India, depression and stress is an important illness that is
neglected as well. Mental disorders are more common in the urban areas of India
and with its constant growing population, having 4,500 psychiatrists is simply
not enough to get this illness under control.
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