India Psychiatry Society (IPS) president Dr. Vidyadhar Watve firmly believes that the field of psychiatry, although has witnessed major strides in the recent years, now faces multiple challenges and criticism from within and outside that threaten its future. During his visit to the city for the annual conference, Dr. Watve said that suicide, disability rates and eventual improvement rates of mental illness have not shown any significant improvement in the past three decades.
In this interview with M. SAI GOPAL , he speaks about mental illness, acceptance levels among public and about the profession.
What are the trends you are witnessing in mental illness?
Over the years, the life expectancy has improved and people are living longer. With this, lifestyle pressures have started to creep in triggering anxiety, depression etc. There are no joint families anymore in India as a result the elderly are facing difficulties. They are being sent to old age homes, which create a lot of trauma for elderly population. How are we going to handle such lifestyle-related mental disorders among the young and the elderly? This would be a big challenge for psychiatrist community.
What are the changes that have taken place in psychiatry?
Globally, the focus on psychiatry is shifting. Earlier, doctors were concentrating on morbidity of psychiatric disorders but now focus is shifting on positive mental health.
We are asking our members not to look or talk in terms of sickness and disease. Psychiatrists these days talk in terms of positive mental health. Public should realise that a majority of psychiatric diseases are brain disorders like schizophrenia, depression or bipolar disorder.
These are major and most common ailments that are caused by chemical disorders in brain, which mean, they are just medical conditions and can be properly treated with medicines.
Will draft Mental Health Care Bill improve the lives of patients?
At present, all mental health issues are governed under the Mental Health Act of 1987.
The Union Government is proposing a draft Mental Health Care Bill. Unfortunately, while drafting the bills, the Government did not bother to consult Indian Psychiatry Society (IPS). There are several provisions in the draft that will be detrimental to the interests of persons with mental illness. At present, the draft bill in this shape is not at all acceptable to us. We have already made our reservations about it with the Government of India.
What are the other issues that are impacting patients?
No insurance companies accept the claims of psychiatric patients and there is a negative attitude towards persons with such problems. If a heart attack victim has a history of anxiety, then his heart surgery claim will be rejected by the insurance company if the attending doctor reports that the patient has anxiety issues. That’s very unfair. We in fact approached the courts with a PIL to fight against such an attitude.
