Indian Mental Health Awareness Among Children

While there is increased awareness about mental health around the world, in India, the very discussion on mental health regarding children is still in its infancy stages. Despite the rising awareness of the importance of mental health, Indian children continue to suffer from a wide range of problems related to their mental health. On the other hand, amid fast and steady urbanization, high competition in academics, and the effect of technology, mental health problems in India among children have begun to surface as well.

Basics of Understanding Mental Health in Kids

Mental health, therefore, pertains to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. In children, it would mean how they think, feel, and behave. A child with good mental health could manage stress, get on with people, and have resilience. However, with such escalating academic burdens, social expectations, and familial responsibilities, many Indian mental health issues arise among the children.

The children in India face unique issues, which if not addressed in time lead to lifelong psychological damage. According to various studies, early psychopathology intervention of a child decides his future life. However, mental health disorders in India are relatively unnoticed, and when diagnosed, they worsen with age.

The Current Status of Mental Health in India

Mental health issues among children are hardly ever talked about in India due to ignorance and stigma surrounding mental health. According to a 2019 report, 50 million children in India have mental health issues; a small proportion of them get support, but common issues include anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Poverty, family discord, and academic pressure act as major contributors in many instances.

Mental health awareness in India remains abysmally low despite these numbing statistics. Most parents, educators, and healthcare providers would not know to look out for their children's early warning signs of mental health problems. More importantly, the social stigma around mental health keeps many families away from the right care. Even more shocking is that in a country where children are often the parameters for measuring parental success, acknowledging a child's mental health problem is seen as a failure in parenting.

Indian Mental Health: The Cultural Stigma

Mental health issues are not just medical issues for the people of India but are very much related to the cultural beliefs and stigmas attached to mental ill-health. So, despite increasing awareness, myths regarding mental health find easy acceptance among Indians. Indian mental health issues are swept under the carpet or described as the inevitable phases of disobedience and adolescent rebellion.

Such stigma surrounding mental health can be pretty devastating in India. Most parents dismiss the state of affairs as just part of growing up, failing to realize how grave their child's mental health problems are in India. This issue is further compounded by the increasing pressure to fit into society and succeed, especially within academically and socially competitive urban circles. Therefore, mental health awareness in India would also have to address issues involving cultural taboos against approaches towards parents transgressing beyond what they can handle towards finding help for their children.

India: The Mental Health Problems in India Rise

The statistics about mental health conditions in India are alarming, especially concerning children and youngsters. The recent National Mental Health Survey done between 2015-16 all over the country revealed nearly 7.3% of Indian mental health from the ages of 13-17 fall victim to several mental disorders. These include anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, and conduct-related problems. However, it is unfortunate that while the numbers alone paint a grim picture, only around 10-12% of these children undergo some sort of mental health intervention.

Several factors contribute to such a difference. Mental health awareness in India is generally low, especially in rural and underprivileged regions. Mental health counselors are not available at most schools, and the few that have them are not well-trained in most cases. Also, mental health care is costly and not affordable for a huge section of the population.

Slowly, the Indian government is taking the form to overcome the mental health problems in India. The National Mental Health Program and the mental health awareness campaigns are undertaken by breaking the stigma associated with mental health issues that focus on mental health issues. Much needs to be done, specifically in children's mental health context.

Statistics and Figures of Mental Health in India

The numbers in India for mental health are dire, and they seem worse at the grass-roots level with children. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 5 Indian children suffer from some form of mental health condition. Depression and anxiety top the chart, and suicide accounts for the leading cause of death among adolescents aged 15-29 years in India.

It is worse in rural India. There is a marked dearth of mental health professionals, with only 0.3 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. For children, the prospects of finding a child psychologist and psychiatrist are even scarcer. Emphasis on academic success often clouds the minds of school administrators to pay proper attention to the emotional development of students. The level of academic stress and pressure from peers adds to the ever-deepening mental health crisis.

Although the Indian government has undertaken several such initiatives, it does not reflect on the child's mental health resources. The mental health in India statistics highlight that there is a relatively increasing need for mental health professionals, school-based interventions, and community-level awareness programs mainly in rural and underdeveloped areas.

Importance of Mental Health Awareness in India

Awareness is one of the forefront steps toward dealing with mental health issues in India. Mental health awareness in India remains to be at its developing stages, especially in children. Many parents and teachers lack knowledge concerning early indications of mental health issues in kids, including behavior changes, mood swings, or reluctance to participate in activities that they once enjoyed.

There is a direct impact of raising awareness: people can get de-stigmatized about mental health and encourage families to seek help. Schools are going to play a great role in promoting mental health issues. The first person to notice different trends in a child is usually their teacher, so they encourage parents to seek professional advice. Additionally, especially if mental health education is implemented as part of the school curriculum, it will foster a better environment because children feel safer opening up about their emotions.

There is a greater need for the government and non-governmental organizations to take a more pivotal role regarding India as far as mental health awareness is concerned. Issues will be brought to the fore through campaigns for education, provision of resources, and open platforms for dialogue thereby breaking barriers to healthcare for mental illness. Equally, parents ought to be educated on the importance of mental well-being in child development.

Steps Toward Mental Health Awareness in India

India is slowly starting to realize that mental health, too, is crucial, especially for kids. Some of the vital steps that can be taken to promote awareness related to it in the country are as follows:

1. Initiation of Mental Health Awareness Programs in Schools: 

Schools should take up regular mental health awareness programs for students and teachers too. This will not only help early problem detection but also ensure that the right interventions are taken place.

2. Training Teachers and Counselors: 

Teachers and school counselors need to be well-equipped to identify early signs regarding mental health issues. Currently, there are almost no mental health training modules for teachers in the prevailing teacher education programs in India. Training in mental health modules for teachers as well as counselors needs to be provided.

3. Public Health Campaigns: 

National mental health campaigns targeting children should form a focus of the government's efforts. The information provided should include signs of distress, and where to run.

4. Parental Education: 

Parents should also be well equipped with knowledge of the importance of mental health in the overall child development. Public forums, online resources, and school-based workshops can fill the gap.

5. Increased Access to Mental Health Services: 

There are far too few child psychologists, counselors, and psychiatrists in India. At a broader level, increasing access to mental health services can be allowed to reach families across all socio-economic classes.

6. Breaking the Stigma: 

Eradication of the stigma attached to mental health in India is paramount. Seeking psychiatric attention must become as natural as consulting a cardiologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

Conclusion

Awareness of mental health in children is a sector that urges immediate attention from the Indian mental health system. The statistics are soaring to reveal that more and more children belonging to India are facing severe kinds of mental health problems, but the available resources to deal with them remain poor. This calls for an approach involving multiple parameters like schools, parents, healthcare delivery system, and policymakers.

Increasing mental health awareness in India shall guarantee that the children of tomorrow grow up emotionally healthy and strong. The time is now, and every little step that we take today can make a permanent change in the Indian mental health profile of the youth of our country.

 FAQs

Q1: What is the current state of mental health awareness in India, especially for children?

Mental awareness in India is still developing, especially as far as children are concerned. Such is the reason why most Indian mental health issues are not sorted by families who do not seek help from medical and psychological professionals despite the tremendous rise in the number of cases of mental health problems in India. Recently, statistics indicate that 50 million Indian children suffer from mental illness, and fewer than 1 million of them receive proper care. All members of society including teachers, parents, and the government must act to increase awareness and act with early intervention.

Q2: Common mental health disorders of Indian children.

Anxiety, depression, ADHD, and conduct disorders are the most common mental health disorders found in Indian children. As per mental health in India statistics, it is estimated that around 7.3% of the total children suffering from this disorder are between the ages of 13-17 years. Low mental health awareness in India usually makes these problems go unnoticed and is subject to long-term consequences if not treated.

Q3: Enhance mental health awareness in children of India.

Improving mental health knowledge among children and youths in India will take a multi-pronged approach that includes the integration of mental health education into school curricula; teachers would also need to be provided with training to identify early signs of mental health problems. Public health campaigns will also help break the stigma associated with mental health in India. The widening access to mental health professionals, especially for the rural populations of India, will ensure the mental health care needs of all children.

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