Imagine this scenario you have a cold. Your nose is
running, you have a bad headache, and your throat hurts. You have a lot of
work, and start to think of how you will handle it. You could push through the
weakness to continue, but you can also take a break for the day and recover.
You also start to consider treatment – you are familiar with several options
that are easily available, it is only a matter of choice; you can either take
over-the-counter pills or home remedies such as a warm cup of milk with turmeric
(Haldi) or hot ginger tea. If the conditions don’t improve, you start to
reach out to those around you for help. You may share this discomfort with
friends or family, or even decide that it is time to see a physician.

Compared to our physical ailments, the scenario would not be
the same for emotional distress. Symptoms of mental health such as a constant
flat feeling or a panic attacks are prevalent across the world but are
experienced in silence. While mental well-being is increasingly being
publicly acknowledged and discussed, the notion that our minds and emotions
need care is still new. However, the need for mental health services in India
is becoming increasingly apparent. Research has shown that there are a large
number of people suffering from poor mental health in India, which is
increasing every day. Are there
enough resources available to meet this growing demand for help? Even if there
are, have we become comfortable enough to admit that we need help?

One of the primary barriers to improving access to mental
health care in India seems to be the stigma attached to accessing professional
help, such as going to a therapist or psychiatrist. We seem to be afraid to
accept and seek help when we are unable to handle our distress. Why is that so?

Here are possible
reasons for our reluctance to seek help:

Am I crazy?

The main stigma attached to seek therapy is the fear that if
we do, we must be crazy. Psychological services are still associated with the
image of going to a mental asylum. This notion is rooted in the fear of being
associated with madness, which is then considered untreatable. It prevents us
from admitting to our own feelings of suffering, leading us to ignore it
instead. Imagine if the same stigma existed for hypertension?

Under the
carpet

The responsibility of seeking help cannot be placed only on
the individual. The society we live in also contributes to the issues around
mental health but also holds the solution. Experiences of emotional distress
are not discussed openly in our social circles. From the individual to the
family to the media, there is a tendency to avoid talking about them. The
silence makes it difficult for those in need to reach out or seek appropriate
treatment, which leads to confusion about the different practitioners and
services available in the field.

Fear of
expression

Oftentimes it can be difficult to express ourselves during
mental distress since it involves talking about one’s feelings. Communicating
about one’s own feelings involves identifying them as well as using language to
express them. However, talking about feelings are avoided as the individuals
are then labeled to be emotional. Therefore, any signs of distress are buried
as deeply as possible, which adds to the silence around it.

Who can help?

Through sheer perseverance and courage, even if you do admit
to needing help, who do you seek that help from? Moreover, even if you find
someone, how do you judge their competence? The closed-door approach to mental health
can make it difficult to access resources that are reliable. There have been
efforts to maintain collated information on available professionals, but the
ability to gauge the quality of the service remains nebulous.

It’s all in the mind Another common belief that hinders
us from seeking help for our mental health is the idea that once you put your
mind to it, the feelings will dissipate. For example, common advice for those
suffering from depression is to think about happy things which can do more
harm than good.The idea that the onus for recovery solely remains with
the individual’s intention dismisses the suffering and deep-rooted impact of
mental distress.

Although physical ailments are not the same as mental
distress, it is important to keep in mind that they work together. One’s
functioning can influence each other greatly. Just as one needs to make a
conscious choice to improve physical health, improving our mental health
requires time, effort, and attention. Building awareness around the issue as a
whole is the first step in working towards an emotionally healthy
society.