Handle with care
Highlighting the treatment gap, senior psychiatrist Shashwat Saxena said only 3% of people with mental health conditions in India receive complete treatment, while 84% never seek treatment.
Lucknow: Stigma surrounding mental illness continues to delay treatment, hinder recovery and impair social and occupational functioning, mental health experts said on World Mental Health Day. Psychiatrist and former faculty member at KGMU, Adarsh Tripathi, said fear of being judged often prevents people from seeking help or disclosing their condition. ApolloMedics Hospital associate director of psychiatry, Umar Mushir, said stigma surrounding psychiatric treatment contributes to long-term disability and poor social and occupational outcomes. People with schizophrenia often battle self-stigma and maladaptive coping mechanisms, while those in the early stages of illness may fail to recognise symptoms and delay treatment, he said. Repeatedly drawing attention to a patient’s condition or behaviour can reinforce stigma within households, Mushir said, urging families to understand mental illness and support treatment instead of treating it as a taboo.
Social discrimination, ridicule and exclusion can erode self-esteem, strain relationships and affect employment prospects, he added. He stressed family support. The issue was discussed at a programme organised by Indian Medical Association Lucknow, where experts focused on depression, substance abuse and suicide prevention. They emphasised the need for early identification, timely treatment and family support. The association also called for greater transparency in the pricing and quality of psychiatric medicines. The remaining patients discontinue treatment midway.