India Matters: Not A Cuckoo's Nest

Mental health institutes, designed to keep the mentally ill out of the public eye, gave rise to real life horror stories. But no longer. The new mental healthcare Act of 2017 emphasises the rights of persons with mental illness and is in step with gradual reforms in the mental healthcare sector. The National Mental Health Survey shows the prevalence of mental disorder is over 10 per cent. Yet 80 per cent of the people do not have access to treatment. Hundreds of districts lack mental health care services. Those who access a professional, often find they cannot afford therapy. Experts say there is an urgent need to create more mental health professionals, not just psychiatrists, to reduce the prevalence of depression and suicide.