At least one among 10 persons in India’s most populous state Uttar Pradesh (UP) suffers from some sort of mental illness, estimates a recently released report by the state Government.



The State Mental Health Survey Report released earlier this month by Siddharth Nath Singh, the UP Health Minister, suggests that 8.7 per cent of UP population suffers some sort of mental illness that needs attention.



The State Mental Health Survey has based its findings on the census of 2011. As per the census, 2011, the population of Uttar Pradesh was more than 19.98 crore (199.8 million). As of now, it is over 22 crore.

To have a better understanding of the problem, consider the WHO report on depression released in February this year, which states that almost 7.5 per cent of Indians suffer from major or minor mental disorders that require expert intervention. In other words, UP is a notch above the national average on this count as well.



Further, 0.93 per cent of the population in UP was found to be with high suicidal risks. Also, 0.4 per cent of the population was found to be suffering from intellectual disorders. What’s interesting to note in this report is that urban areas show a high prevalence rate of these problems.



Commenting on the findings of this report in the light of the WHO statistics, Prof SC Tewari, the Secretary of State Mental Health Authority, says, “This is certainly alarming. Because mental illnesses usually affect adults, this statistic is definitely indicative of a general decrease in productivity of the society at large. This is not just a health issue as it also has socio-economic dynamics.”



The statistics seem to clearly underscore UP's failure to take the issue of mental health seriously. So if the prevalence rate is alarming enough to establish that burden of depression and other mental illnesses cannot be ignored, what needs to be done?



Well, the State Mental Health Report has made a 16-point recommendation to improve the state of affairs. The key recommendations are



1. Strengthening the existing National Mental Health Programme and its key implementation arm in UP.



2. Developing a mental health action plan.



3. Capacity building of all stake holders involved in mental health care delivery.



4. Strengthening the existing facilities of mental health care.



5. Incorporation of mental health in the urban health programme under National Health Mission.



Considering the fact that most mental illnesses usually go unnoticed and ignored, institutional efforts only seem a good step to check the state of affairs. Especially when we consider the fact that UP is only adding to the national burden and is above the national average.



Further, looking at the bigger picture, the global prevalence of depression alone has increased by 18 per cent from 2005 to 2015. At present, there are approximately 322 million people suffering from depression globally. The said WHO report clearly states that "Nearly half of these people live in the South-East Asia Region and Western Pacific Region, reflecting the relatively larger populations of those two regions (which include India and China, for example).''



So what are the possible causes and effects of such statistics that stare in our face?

Dr Malay Kant Singh, Psychiatrist, explains, “Our lifestyle significantly affects our mental health. Considering this, it is easy to understand why there is a high prevalence of mental disorders in urban areas. Urban living is synonymous with competitiveness and this is precisely the root cause. Look at village folk. They have a relatively much simple and peaceful life.”



So what is the solution? “Be relatively less competitive,” says Dr Singh, adding, “It is not easy but then it is your life. Either choose good health and peace of mind or chase the material fruits of your professional competitiveness.”



Adding to this, Prof SC Tiwari, who also happens to be the Head, Department of Geriatric Mental Health, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, says, “Try to be as close to nature as possible.” Being a specialist of geriatric mental health, Prof Tiwari makes it a point to add, “The elderly suffer silently. For their care givers it is important to remember that all an elderly needs is company and respect. Just ensure that.”

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