Texas shooting in the USA, killing 19 children among 21 in a primary school attack by an 18 year boy, has again raised the rising concerns of mental health among adolescents. Experts from across the globe say- it would be oversimplification to say that such shootings happen because of the lax gun laws, which allow even an 18-year-old to buy a long automatic gun, but rather it is a worsening psychological condition forcing adolescents to go for a shooting spree.
Corroborating the popular concerns, WHO says, globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for around 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. However, the majority of them do not seek help or receive care, rather they remain unrecognized and untreated. Depression, anxiety, behavioural disorders and suicidal tendencies are fast rising among adolescents.
The consequences of such adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead a fulfilling life as adults, besides creating upheavals in society. According to the WHO, if we do not act immediately, by 2030 depression will be the leading illness worldwide.
Multiple factors affect mental health. Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. During this formative time, rapid physical, emotional and social changes take place. Children and adolescents acquire cognitive and social-emotional skills that shape their future mental health and are important for assuming adult roles in society. However, exposure to poverty, abuse, violence, educational difficulties, bullying, harsh parenting, mental illness of parents, violence in the family, substance use, heavy episodic drinking, use of tobacco and cannabis, severe and socioeconomic problems and apathy of the system, family and society can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems.
Moreover, some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support system and services. The solutions, besides approaching expert medical practioners/clinical psychologists, include parents or guardians listening to their children and taking their feelings seriously, staying away from passing negative feelings and continuous acrimony, talking through the problem in order to work out the best way to tackle it, generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses.
India is also not immune to this crisis of enormous magnitude. According to India’s latest National Mental Health Survey, an estimated 150 million people across the country are in need of mental health care interventions. In India, lack of awareness, stigma related to mental disorders, delayed treatment-seeking behavior, lack of low-cost diagnostic tests and limited access and availability to easily available treatment further aggravate the problem.
However, the Government of India is implementing the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under NMHP in 704 districts of the country. To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses, information, education and communication (IEC) activities are an integral part of the NMHP.
SHARE
