BENGALURU: About 150 million adult Indians suffer from various mental health problems and are in need of care, according to the findings of the 2016 National Mental Health Survey ( NMHS ), commissioned by the Center and implemented by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), Bengaluru.The survey covered 40,000 adults and 1,200 adolescents in Tamil Nadu , Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh West Bengal , Manipur and Assam. The states with the highest mental health burden are Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Manipur and Assam. In Karnataka, about 8% of the population suffers from mental illnesses, the survey said. About 7.3% of those in the 13-17 to age group need mental health care."The study has revealed that a greater proportion of those affected is in the productive age group (30 to 49 years) or are elderly (above 60 years). Mental health problems are comparatively more in urban areas, and those from low income and education groups are more likely to have mental disorders," Dr B N Gangadhar, director of Nimhans, said.The report also revealed that one in 10 had a common mental health problem like depression, anxiety disorders and substance-use disorders, with depression being the leading condition. Neurosis and stress-related disorders like phobias and anxiety affected twice as many women as men. Less than 2% had severe mental illness like psychoses or bipolar disorder out of which 50% had moderate to severe disability, he added. NMHS put alcohol-related disorders at 4.6% among men above 18 years, while illicit substance-use disorders were prevalent among 0.6% of men.Dr G Gururaj, senior professor and head of epidemiology, said: "Another major concern is the risk of suicide in India and data indicates that 0.9% of the population has suicidal tendencies. Only one-fourth of those with mental ailments sought treatment from a formal healthcare provider. We should look into curbing the medical cost for mental services and opt for mental health insurance as the report indicated that the monthly median expenditure ranged from Rs 1,000 to Rs, 2,500, which most patients cannot afford."