The fact that mental health is a heavily taboo topic in most Indian societies is no secret. In recent years, there have been several movements, organized both internationally and in India alone, that aim to bring awareness to the importance of taking care of one’s mental health. However, despite these movements, the situation has not changed too much. Of course, in urban areas and big cities, getting therapy and seeing psychiatrists is slowly becoming less of a novelty. But, even in these places, it is almost always treated as a family secret: something to be kept quiet.
In a study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4535113/) conducted in 2015 in the Udupi district of Karnataka with 445 respondents, it was found that there was a 74.61% stigma towards mentally ill people. This is one of several studies that show similar results. Thus, it is evident that, even in recent years, mental health stigma is still rampant among people of all walks of life. This includes the wealthier and more educated class, as concluded in the aforementioned study.
This stigma is a side effect of the mentality of “what will other people think” that is extremely common in, and could even be considered a characteristic feature of, Indian society. A society that is as tightly knit as it is in India is in no way a bad thing. But it results in eyes constantly following every single member of this society. This often leads to judgements being passed on in all aspects of everyone’s life. The fear of being on the receiving end of judgement or ridicule from friends, neighbors, or even distant family members makes people ashamed of getting mental health assistance. This shame either makes going to therapy an illicit affair or keeps people from getting help at all.
The conservative nature of Indian society affects mental health stigma in more than just this one way. One idea that is deeply ingrained in Indian society is strict gender roles. Families and society as a whole place great importance on people adhering to certain rules and duties given to everyone based on their gender. These rules dictate not only one’s life but also their behaviour.
For example, women are expected to be “strong” and willing to sacrifice their wants and needs for the sake of the family. This is a major way gender roles affect the stigma against getting therapy for women. Due to the expectations laid upon women to be self-sacrificial for the “good of the family”, women do not get help when they need it for fear of tarnishing the family’s reputation or bringing shame to the family. Often, even if the woman herself wants to seek professional help for mental health-related problems, she is strongly discouraged against, or prohibited from, doing so by her husband or the elders in the family.
Gender roles negatively affect men too. Men are expected to be perfect pictures of rock hard strength. They are not allowed to show vulnerability. Thus, any outward display of a struggle is frowned upon. Great importance is placed on the preservation of men’s masculinity, which results in a vulnerability being seen as an embarrassment, and anything that would embarrass one member of the family is considered an embarrassment to the entire family. This is why getting help for mental health issues is out of the question for men as well. The male suicide rate is higher than the female suicide rate, a fact that can be safely attributed to this “men don’t cry” attitude.
The stigma against mental health in India is likely a major reason for how high the Indian suicide rate is. According to data from the World Health Organization, India’s suicide rate is 16.4 for every 100,000 women, the 6th highest in the world, and 25.8 for every 100,000 men, the 22nd highest in the world. These are alarming numbers, and what is more alarming is that almost nobody is aware of them.
The de-stigmatization of discussions surrounding mental health in India would be largely beneficial to the country. It would encourage people to get help when they need it without being embarrassed about it or hiding it, reduce the mocking of people who do decide to get help and lead to the development of more, and better, mental health resources. All of these things, if achieved, would do a lot of people a world of good.
The phrase “de-stigmatize mental health” has been thrown around a lot in recent years. But this de-stigmatization is not just an abstract concept that we cannot do anything about. It starts with us. Not squirming or lowering your voice when discussing therapy, supporting people who do go for therapy, and openly discussing mental health-related topics with parents and other adults are just a few ways to contribute to the de-stigmatization. Change in mindset takes a lot of time and effort, but the result is more than worth it in the end.
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