The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being, where an individual realizes their capabilities, can cope with the normal stressors of life, work productively, and is able to contribute to their community. According to WHO, 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder.
A mental disorder is characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour. It is usually associated with distress or impairment in important areas of functioning.
In 2019, according to WHO, 970 million people around the world were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common. In 2020, the number of people living with anxiety and depressive disorders rose significantly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While effective prevention and treatment options exist, most people with mental disorders do not have access to effective care.
In 2017, an estimation of the burden of mental health conditions for the states across India revealed that as many as 197.3 million people required care for mental health conditions. This included around 45.7 million people with depressive disorders and 44.9 million people with anxiety disorders. The staggering figures make one wonder how prevalent mental illness or mental health disorder is in Mokokchung or Nagaland.
There is very little or no function of the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) reported in Mokokchung or Nagaland. Interestingly, under NMHP, there is supposed to be a District Mental Health Program (DMHP). How effectively the DMHP is being implemented, if at all, in Mokokchung needs some attention.
There are various causes of mental health problems and the most common cause in Mokokchung, to suggest, would be alcohol related. Anybody can develop mental illness at any time. It is time for our society to openly talk about mental illness today. Just like HIV or AIDS, a lot of stigma is associated with mental illness.
However, we have to be able to find a way to address this problem. Unless we talk about it and address the issue, we will not be able to handle it. It is obvious that there is a lack of knowledge about the issue and we also do not have access to care services. These issues must be addressed. We have to realize that people, including those close to us, are living with mental illness without us knowing it. Mental health issues are a growing challenge and the sooner we realize it, the better for us.