Y Merina Chishi
The death of popular Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has again raised the issue of mental health problems in India, leading even the Supreme Court on June 16 (Tuesday) to issue a notice to the Centre and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) on a PIL seeking direction to all insurance companies to extend medical insurance for treatment of mental illness as well.
In general, mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions/disorders that affect our moods, thinking and behaviour. Everybody goes through mental stress and mood swings once in a while. But it becomes a concern when it starts affecting our day to day ability to function normally. According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, roughly 20% of Indians suffer from some sort of mental disorder. However, mental illness is still considered taboo in India which is why many people who suffer from it refrain from seeking treatment.
Mental illness is a very complex issue in Naga society as well. Most people do not understand mental disorders well and lack of adequate knowledge leads to stigma and discrimination of people who have mental health problems. Most people do not talk openly about it and cases are either ignored or swept under the carpet. People with mental problems are also considered a liability to society.
Myths and beliefs that exist in Naga culture has a lot to do with the perceptions and attitude towards people with mental disorders. For instance-children who have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) are generally perceived as being 'undisciplined' and are dealt with severely both at home and school. People suffering from schizophrenia and hallucination, a common disorder among substance users, are considered 'deranged', while depression, which is the leading cause of suicides is still considered taboo. Many tribes still do not allow burial of people who commit suicide within the village. All these preconceived mindset leads to more problems in society.
Nagas generally tend to attribute mental illness to dogmatic beliefs and often seek religious intervention instead of clinical help. As a result, many prayer centres have mushroomed in Nagaland over the years. While the faith of people cannot be questioned, it often becomes a repeated attempt until the problem gets out of hand. The church can play a crucial role in educating people on this issue.
It is hard to convince people from seeking help from mental health professionals but creating awareness can reverse things. According to psychiatrists, mental health disorders start mainly from teenage years. Teenage years are considered to be a very crucial milestone in terms of physical as well as mental wellbeing of a person. In this day and age where children are exposed to all sorts of negativity, vanity and violence through technology, it is imperative for parents and guardians to make sure that their children do not get affected by such thing.
Incorporating mental health into school curriculum, conducting programmes and awareness on mental health can help in addressing this problem. Mental disorders can be cured and controlled with the support of family and community.
While people are becoming more aware of taking care of their physical health, mental health is still ignored. We need to start making choices that are not just good for our body but also good for our minds.
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