Breaking the silence on depression

WHO aims at encouraging people to overcome stigma and seek treatment

Nearly five crore Indians suffer from depression.

To encourage people with depression to overcome stigma and seek treatment, the World Health Organisation is focussing on the illness this World Health Day, April 7. The public health community worldwide is recognising the damage caused by the silence over depression and mental illness and has raised the slogan “Depression: Let’s Talk” to mark the day.

Nearly five crore Indians have depression, and according to the latest WHO estimates, over 300 million people are living with it globally. This is an increase of more than 18% over the last decade and accounts for over two-thirds of global suicides that occur in low- and middle-income countries such as India.

Premature deaths

Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability. Lack of support for people with mental disorders, coupled with a fear of stigma, prevents many from accessing the treatment they need to lead a healthy and productive life. \

“Mental health cannot be divorced from physical health. In fact, people suffering from major depression have a 40-60% chance of dying prematurely owing to physical health problems that are left unattended or suicide. Suicide is the second most common cause of death among young people worldwide. The Mental Health Care Act, 2017 is a significant step towards destigmatising psychological disorders, recognising an attempt at suicide as an act committed under severe mental stress,” said Keshav Desiraju, a former Union Health Secretary who was instrumental in drafting the law. In India, the passage of the Mental Health Care Bill has steered the debate in a positive direction.

Psychiatrist and researcher Vikram Patel said: “The passage of the Mental Health Care Bill by the Lok Sabha is a milestone in the struggle for the realisation of the rights of people with mental health problems to a life with dignity and access to community-based care. Now, the responsibility of converting the high ideals of the Act into a reality falls upon all sectors concerned in the government, health professional communities and civil society.”

A study on the prevalence of depression among adolescent students of a public school revealed that three-nine% of teenagers met the criteria for depression at any one time; at the end of adolescence, 20% of teenagers report a lifetime prevalence of depression.