Mental Health

10.12.2025

Mental Health

Context

Mental health has emerged as a critical global concern, affecting individuals across all stages of life, from teenagers and students to working professionals and the elderly. The rising prevalence of issues like loneliness and anxiety highlights the urgent need for systemic intervention.

About Mental Health

Scope: Mental health is not limited to specific demographics; it impacts:

• Teenagers/Students: Facing academic and peer pressure.
• Working Professionals: Dealing with career isolation and financial stress.
• Elderly: Often suffering from isolation and loneliness.
• Parents: Managing familial and societal expectations.

Major Causes:

• Societal & Academic Pressure: High expectations regarding marks, career success, and social standing.
• Digital Influence: Excessive use of social media contributes to depression, anxiety, and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).
• Personal Factors: Relationship issues (breakups, marital stress), overthinking, and biological/psychological predispositions.
• Socio-Economic Factors: Financial pressure, social crises, economic discrimination, and cultural loss.

Challenges in Addressing Mental Health

Ignorance and Stigma: A major barrier is the lack of identification of mental health as a legitimate medical issue. Symptoms are often dismissed as "drama," or the individual is stigmatized with labels like "mad."

Infrastructure & Access Gap:

• Shortage of Professionals: There is a severe lack of trained doctors and psychiatrists.
• Treatment Gap: Approximately 60% to 70% of people suffering from mental health issues do not receive adequate care due to affordability or lack of facilities.

Lack of Resilience Training: The current education and social systems fail to train individuals in essential life skills, such as handling failure, dealing with criticism, and navigating complex social interactions.

Way Forward

Institutional Support:

• Workforce: Urgently increase the number of trained mental health professionals.
• Support Systems: Establish permanent mental health consultants in schools, colleges, and workplaces.

Social & Cultural Shift:

• Open Conversations: Normalize discussions about mental wellness within families and social circles to break the stigma.
• Capacity Building: Focus on training individuals to build emotional resilience against failure and criticism.

Lifestyle Integration:

• Promote physical activity and Yoga as essential tools for maintaining mental equilibrium.

Conclusion

Addressing the mental health crisis requires a dual approach: building robust medical infrastructure and fostering a compassionate society that treats mental health with the same seriousness as physical health. Prioritizing wellness over winning is the first step toward a healthier society.