During US President Donald Trump's visit to India on February 24 and 25, both countries signed three agreements in health and oil sectors. 
 
In a noteworthy gesture, the health departments of both countries sealed a pact&nbsp;to deal with mental health challenges through innovative measures.

The agreement will enable India to learn from the experience of the US in treating mental health issues. It will also facilitate greater access to traditional Indian medicines and therapies to treat mental health challenges in America.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that more than 300 million people suffer from depression across the world. It has further stated that there is one death by suicide every 40 seconds and each year more than 800,000 people end their own lives.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the National Mental Health Survey, 2016, conducted across 12 Indian states, has stated that 150 million persons are in need of mental health interventions and care.

According to a report, the US suicide rate increased on average by about 1 per cent a year from 2000 through 2006 and by 2 per cent a year from 2006 through 2016.

It's heartening to see that governments, people and organisations across the globe have acknowledged the challenges related to&nbsp;mental health. In 2018, the UK government had appointed Loneliness Minister for cross-government work on loneliness.

Moreover, fund allocations also have to be increased. Funds allocated to the National Mental Health Programme were not increased in the Union Budget for FY 2020. It was brought down to Rs 40 crore from Rs 50 crore in FY2018.&nbsp;

Also, more trained psychiatrists and psychologists should be made available at government health care centres to meet WHO prescribed norms so that people can avail mental health treatment at a cheaper cost.

Mental illness, like any other disease, does not discriminate. It affects all age groups, children, youth, elderly people. To tackle depression, loneliness and anxiety, it's important to deal with the illness at home, offices, schools and colleges. 
 
Other countries should also learn from this collaboration between the world's two largest democracies to deal with mental health challenges, and come together to tackle mental illness. 
 
Governments must, through there policies including programmes, educate people and organisations about the effects of mental health problems. Globally, we need to increase our efforts to tackle mental health problems.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

During US President Donald Trump's visit to India on February 24 and 25, both countries signed three agreements in health and oil sectors. In a noteworthy gesture, the health departments of both countries sealed a pact to deal with mental health challenges through innovative measures.

During US President Donald Trump's visit to India on February 24 and 25, both countries signed three agreements in health and oil sectors. In a noteworthy gesture, the health departments of both countries sealed a pact to deal with mental health challenges through innovative measures. The agreement will enable India to learn from the experience of the US in treating mental health issues. It will also facilitate greater access to traditional Indian medicines and therapies to treat mental health challenges in America. World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that more than 300 million people suffer from depression across the world. It has further stated that there is one death by suicide every 40 seconds and each year more than 800,000 people end their own lives. Furthermore, the National Mental Health Survey, 2016, conducted across 12 Indian states, has stated that 150 million persons are in need of mental health interventions and care. According to a report, the US suicide rate increased on average by about 1 per cent a year from 2000 through 2006 and by 2 per cent a year from 2006 through 2016. It's heartening to see that governments, people and organisations across the globe have acknowledged the challenges related to mental health. In 2018, the UK government had appointed Loneliness Minister for cross-government work on loneliness. Moreover, fund allocations also have to be increased. Funds allocated to the National Mental Health Programme were not increased in the Union Budget for FY 2020. It was brought down to Rs 40 crore from Rs 50 crore in FY2018. Also, more trained psychiatrists and psychologists should be made available at government health care centres to meet WHO prescribed norms so that people can avail mental health treatment at a cheaper cost. Mental illness, like any other disease, does not discriminate. It affects all age groups, children, youth, elderly people. To tackle depression, loneliness and anxiety, it's important to deal with the illness at home, offices, schools and colleges. Other countries should also learn from this collaboration between the world's two largest democracies to deal with mental health challenges, and come together to tackle mental illness. Governments must, through there policies including programmes, educate people and organisations about the effects of mental health problems. Globally, we need to increase our efforts to tackle mental health problems. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India-US agreement on mental health is highly praiseworthy

Special post-boxes set up in UK to fight Valentine's loneliness

People Walker is a service that allows you to pay someone to walk with you, providing physical exercise, relaxation and conversation. 
&nbsp 
Chuck McCarthy's walking service provides fresh air, exercise and companionship for $30 an hour -- but barking is frowned upon and peeing up trees is an absolute no-no.

The Los Angeles-based entrepreneur works with humans, not animals, and is striking a blow for health and social inclusion as the founder of the famously car-friendly city's first people-walking business.&nbsp

"I was thinking about becoming a dog walker but I've never had a dog in the city so I've never had to pick up dog poop," McCarthy told AFP on a recent leisurely saunter in the Hollywood Hills.

"I was also seeing a lot of personal trainer ads. And so I kind of said to my girlfriend, 'Maybe I'll just become a people walker.'"

McCarthy was joking but the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was a need for the kind of comradeship he could provide.

The People Walker started as a one-man operation two years ago but demand was so high that McCarthy now has a roster of 35 walkers and a website where people can choose routes and walking partners.

Social disconnection has been linked in various studies to depression, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and can shorten life as profoundly as regular smoking, according to some estimates.&nbsp

Eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, identified a major cause of loneliness in a recent column in the New York Times: a growing global culture of individualism.&nbsp

 
'Human connection'

It's not that people have fewer friends, say experts, but rather that the "gig economy" has produced a generation of freelancers with none of the routines or social bonds that traditionally connected workers.

"I've walked people that are married with kids that have tons of friends. It's about convenience and it's about location and basically having things your way," McCarthy says.

Meanwhile, smartphones and social media have deepened divisions, replacing real human relationships with the ersatz companionship of a social media following.

Instead of "screaming into the void of Twitter or Facebook," McCarthy's clients get to enjoy real human connections with people that don't know them and won't judge or gossip.

"It seems like something new but it's very similar to going to confession, to a bar, to a therapist, or going to a hairstylist," he tells AFP.

McCarthy is an aspiring actor, which makes him coy about revealing his exact age -- "I guess I'm in my 30s," he concedes -- but auditions have taken a back seat to the business recently.

"I still wouldn't turn down a starring role opposite George Clooney," he adds, just for the record.

The business is on the cusp of making the kind of money McCarthy could call a living, with an app about to launch and grand plans for expansion across California, the US and, eventually, the world.

 
All shapes and sizes

 
McCarthy has no idea how far his feet have taken him in the last two years but he walks clients four or five times a week, typically for an hour, and describes himself as more of a listener than a talker.

"It's less of a confession and more of a conversation. So I wouldn't say that I'm getting the deepest darkest secrets and nobody is breaking down crying on our walks," he says.

McCarthy's clients come in all shapes and sizes and walk for a variety of reasons.

Anie Dee, a Wisconsinite in her late 20s who decamped to LA seven years ago, had been driving for a rideshare service, sitting down all day, and decided last year to get out more.

"I have some health issues so walking long distances is very difficult for me. And so having somebody with me, we walk a lot further than I ever thought I could," she told AFP.

The freelance theatre box office manager noticed as she began going out with McCarthy that her mood and outlook were noticeably more positive.

"When you're working a lot of desk jobs and you're by yourself, you don't really have that social aspect," she said.

"So when you go for a long walk it's like, 'I feel refreshed -- this is really nice.'".

Chuck McCarthy's walking service provides fresh air, exercise and companionship for $30 an hour

People Walker is a service that allows you to pay someone to walk with you, providing physical exercise, relaxation and conversation. Chuck McCarthy's walking service provides fresh air, exercise and companionship for $30 an hour -- but barking is frowned upon and peeing up trees is an absolute no-no. The Los Angeles-based entrepreneur works with humans, not animals, and is striking a blow for health and social inclusion as the founder of the famously car-friendly city's first people-walking business. "I was thinking about becoming a dog walker but I've never had a dog in the city so I've never had to pick up dog poop," McCarthy told AFP on a recent leisurely saunter in the Hollywood Hills. "I was also seeing a lot of personal trainer ads. And so I kind of said to my girlfriend, 'Maybe I'll just become a people walker.'" McCarthy was joking but the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was a need for the kind of comradeship he could provide. The People Walker started as a one-man operation two years ago but demand was so high that McCarthy now has a roster of 35 walkers and a website where people can choose routes and walking partners. Social disconnection has been linked in various studies to depression, heart disease, diabetes and cancer, and can shorten life as profoundly as regular smoking, according to some estimates. Eric Klinenberg, a professor of sociology at New York University, identified a major cause of loneliness in a recent column in the New York Times: a growing global culture of individualism. 'Human connection' It's not that people have fewer friends, say experts, but rather that the "gig economy" has produced a generation of freelancers with none of the routines or social bonds that traditionally connected workers. "I've walked people that are married with kids that have tons of friends. It's about convenience and it's about location and basically having things your way," McCarthy says. Meanwhile, smartphones and social media have deepened divisions, replacing real human relationships with the ersatz companionship of a social media following. Instead of "screaming into the void of Twitter or Facebook," McCarthy's clients get to enjoy real human connections with people that don't know them and won't judge or gossip. "It seems like something new but it's very similar to going to confession, to a bar, to a therapist, or going to a hairstylist," he tells AFP. McCarthy is an aspiring actor, which makes him coy about revealing his exact age -- "I guess I'm in my 30s," he concedes -- but auditions have taken a back seat to the business recently. "I still wouldn't turn down a starring role opposite George Clooney," he adds, just for the record. The business is on the cusp of making the kind of money McCarthy could call a living, with an app about to launch and grand plans for expansion across California, the US and, eventually, the world. All shapes and sizes McCarthy has no idea how far his feet have taken him in the last two years but he walks clients four or five times a week, typically for an hour, and describes himself as more of a listener than a talker. "It's less of a confession and more of a conversation. So I wouldn't say that I'm getting the deepest darkest secrets and nobody is breaking down crying on our walks," he says. McCarthy's clients come in all shapes and sizes and walk for a variety of reasons. Anie Dee, a Wisconsinite in her late 20s who decamped to LA seven years ago, had been driving for a rideshare service, sitting down all day, and decided last year to get out more. "I have some health issues so walking long distances is very difficult for me. And so having somebody with me, we walk a lot further than I ever thought I could," she told AFP. The freelance theatre box office manager noticed as she began going out with McCarthy that her mood and outlook were noticeably more positive. "When you're working a lot of desk jobs and you're by yourself, you don't really have that social aspect," she said. "So when you go for a long walk it's like, 'I feel refreshed -- this is really nice.'".

LA's people walker is beating loneliness, one step at a time

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