HYDERABAD: Stigmatisation of visiting a psychiatrist, skepticism towards psychiatric medication and strong religious beliefs stop many people with mental health issues from seeking medical help, says a recently published study by research scholars from German and Austrian universities. It is, therefore, no surprise that as many as 15 people commit suicide evey hour in India, according to National Crime Records Bureau 2015 data.
A study conducted among 924 people living in Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai showed a strong correlation between negative attitudes to psychiatry and lower age group. Experts find the result shocking at a time when the country is trying to reap benefits of the burgeoning demographic dividend. Interestingly, the study also shows that men are more reluctant to seek medical help. Education levels were also a factor.
The negative attitude of urban Indians towards psychiatry is so entrenched that the one-third of those who participated in the study believed that psychiatrists specialise in the subject because they are not good enough to take up other healthcare specialisations. And more than fifty per cent of the participants believed that psychiatrists prescribed medication only to calm down their patients. About 45 per cent of them, nearly half of the people surveyed, held that psychiatric medication was harmful for health.
‘Religion can play positive role’
While the researchers report that a majority of the participants had strong religious beliefs and trusted faith healers over psychiatrists, they also mention that religion can play a positive role if it can be used to motivate people with mental health issues to visit a psychiatrist. They also suggest that traditional medicare systems like Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha can also be integrated in mental healthcare model to increase trust of people in psychiatry and eventually the faith healers can be brought in.
The researchers stress on implementation of the provisions laid as part of the recently passed Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 and bridging the gap between the demand and availability of mental healthcare professionals. Dr Naresh Vadlamani, chairperson of School Education - Task force, Indian Psychiatric Society says, “Many mental health problems associated with psychiatry are treatable. However, many people are under impression that psychiatric healing is not healthy and instead will lead to some mental disorder.”