Deepika Padukone has been quite vocal about depression. The actress revealed a few years back that how she suffered from depression and she wanted to spread more awareness around the mental health through her organisation. The actress has always advocated the importance of mental health. The actress at a recent event in Delhi spoke about depression and stated that how it was not a luxury as it is perceived by certain people.&nbsp; 
 
Deepika's statement perhaps was directed towards Salman Khan, who in February, had termed Depression as a luxury that he can't afford. The actor had said, "I see a lot of people going on vacations, but I cannot afford that luxury of taking a vacation. I see a lot of people getting depressed and emotional, but I can't afford that luxury of being depressed or sad or emotional because no matter what I am going through, it works against me." 
 
Taking a firm stand on her campaign on mental health, Deepika said, "I want to clarify that it can happen to anybody from any field, irrespective of their socio-economic background. Depression is sometimes perceived as a luxury. People think that those who have too much time or money get into depression. I think it is very important to break that myth." 
 
The actress was backed by several of her fans on Twitter who supported her statement and condemned Salman's statement.&nbsp;

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Ye th hai hi psycho....isko depression ka matlab bhi nahi pata hoga..
— FANNE KHAN (@Zoina07) <a href="https://twitter.com/Zoina07/status/978678422665703424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Salmon and his fans can learn a thing or two from Deepika.
— Bagwati (@snoopiku) <a href="https://twitter.com/snoopiku/status/978343292617314306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Back in February, Salman's comment had drawn a lot of criticism.&nbsp;

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can you believe salman khan said that depression is a luxury that he can not afford and y’all will find a to say "but he’s a mega super star", depression is not a joke, it’s a serious illness and this man makes a joke of it? I can’t <a href="https://t.co/pPG1NwMstK">pic.twitter.com/pPG1NwMstK</a>
— bollywood (@bollyxpics) <a href="https://twitter.com/bollyxpics/status/967350991430483968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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While Deepika did not take anyone's name, it sure looks like the actress was aiming to clear misconceptions around mental health. Hope Salman is listening.&nbsp;

Salman Khan, in an earlier statement, had said, ' I can't afford the luxury of being depressed'.

Deepika Padukone has been quite vocal about depression. The actress revealed a few years back that how she suffered from depression and she wanted to spread more awareness around the mental health through her organisation. The actress has always advocated the importance of mental health. The actress at a recent event in Delhi spoke about depression and stated that how it was not a luxury as it is perceived by certain people. Deepika's statement perhaps was directed towards Salman Khan, who in February, had termed Depression as a luxury that he can't afford. The actor had said, "I see a lot of people going on vacations, but I cannot afford that luxury of taking a vacation. I see a lot of people getting depressed and emotional, but I can't afford that luxury of being depressed or sad or emotional because no matter what I am going through, it works against me." Taking a firm stand on her campaign on mental health, Deepika said, "I want to clarify that it can happen to anybody from any field, irrespective of their socio-economic background. Depression is sometimes perceived as a luxury. People think that those who have too much time or money get into depression. I think it is very important to break that myth." The actress was backed by several of her fans on Twitter who supported her statement and condemned Salman's statement. Ye th hai hi psycho....isko depression ka matlab bhi nahi pata hoga.. — FANNE KHAN (@Zoina07) March 27, 2018 × Salmon and his fans can learn a thing or two from Deepika. — Bagwati (@snoopiku) March 26, 2018 × Back in February, Salman's comment had drawn a lot of criticism. can you believe salman khan said that depression is a luxury that he can not afford and y’all will find a to say "but he’s a mega super star", depression is not a joke, it’s a serious illness and this man makes a joke of it? I can’t pic.twitter.com/pPG1NwMstK — bollywood (@bollyxpics) February 24, 2018 × While Deepika did not take anyone's name, it sure looks like the actress was aiming to clear misconceptions around mental health. Hope Salman is listening.

Was Deepika Padukone's 'depression perceived as luxury' comment directed towards Salman Khan?

Two doctors have said the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange&#39;s six-year confinement in the Ecuadorean embassy in London is &quot;dangerous&quot; for his health.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The doctors came to their conclusion -- and made it public in the Guardian newspaper -- after spending 20 hours over three days with Assange in October.&nbsp;

&quot;While the results of the evaluation are protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, it is our professional opinion that his continued confinement is dangerous physically and mentally to him, and a clear infringement of his human right to healthcare,&quot; the doctors wrote in the Guardian.

The doctors&#39; announcement has led to speculation that Assange is pushing to get to Ecuador. He was recently given Ecuadorean citizenship but should he step out of the country&#39;s embassy in London, he may well find the UK, US, and Swedish authorities waiting to arrest him.&nbsp;

Sweden has dropped rape and assault charges against Assange but he worries the Swedish authorities may pick him up for violating his bail plea and not showing up in court. (Assange had turned up at the Ecuadorean embassy asking for asylum after the charges.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

Assange is wanted in the US for making classified state documents public. And the UK is an ally.&nbsp;

The doctor duo -- Sondra Crosby, a doctor and associate professor at Boston University&#39;s school of medicine and public health, and Brock Chisholm, a London-based clinical psychologist -- renewed calls for Assange to be given safe passage to a hospital.

The clinicians called for the British Medical Association and others to lobby the UK government to provide healthcare, but noted most doctors are unwilling to enter the embassy to treat him.

&quot;Our assessment reveals that he has had no access to sunlight, appropriate ventilation or outside space for over five and-a-half years,&quot; the doctors added.

&quot;This has taken a considerable physical as well as psychological toll.&quot;

Wikileaks in 2016 released medical records claiming its founder&#39;s mental health was at risk then if he remained in the embassy, predicting it was &quot;highly likely&quot; his mental health would deteriorate.

Ecuador gave Assange citizenship in December, and asked the UK to recognise him as a diplomat. That would have given Assange diplomatic immunity from arrest.&nbsp;

The UK refused, which leaves Assange stuck at the Ecuadorean embassy in London.&nbsp;

He has been there since 2012.&nbsp;

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year said Assange&#39;s arrest was a US &quot;priority&quot;.

Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno said Wednesday that his country and Britain are seeking an arrangement that guarantees Assange&#39;s life and safety from US reprisal and also allows for him to be &quot;punished for the mistake he made&quot; in releasing classified US documents.

Moreno did not elaborate. But newspaper reports had only a few days earlier quoted him as called Assange a &quot;nuisance&quot;.&nbsp;

The reports also quoted Moreno as saying Assange was an &quot;inherited problem&quot; (from Moreno&#39;s successor) and that Moreno wanted him out of his country&#39;s embassy in London.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

'It is our professional opinion that his continued confinement is dangerous physically and mentally to him,' the doctors wrote in the Guardian newspaper

Two doctors have said the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's six-year confinement in the Ecuadorean embassy in London is "dangerous" for his health. The doctors came to their conclusion -- and made it public in the Guardian newspaper -- after spending 20 hours over three days with Assange in October. "While the results of the evaluation are protected by doctor-patient confidentiality, it is our professional opinion that his continued confinement is dangerous physically and mentally to him, and a clear infringement of his human right to healthcare," the doctors wrote in the Guardian. The doctors' announcement has led to speculation that Assange is pushing to get to Ecuador. He was recently given Ecuadorean citizenship but should he step out of the country's embassy in London, he may well find the UK, US, and Swedish authorities waiting to arrest him. Sweden has dropped rape and assault charges against Assange but he worries the Swedish authorities may pick him up for violating his bail plea and not showing up in court. (Assange had turned up at the Ecuadorean embassy asking for asylum after the charges.) Assange is wanted in the US for making classified state documents public. And the UK is an ally. The doctor duo -- Sondra Crosby, a doctor and associate professor at Boston University's school of medicine and public health, and Brock Chisholm, a London-based clinical psychologist -- renewed calls for Assange to be given safe passage to a hospital. The clinicians called for the British Medical Association and others to lobby the UK government to provide healthcare, but noted most doctors are unwilling to enter the embassy to treat him. "Our assessment reveals that he has had no access to sunlight, appropriate ventilation or outside space for over five and-a-half years," the doctors added. "This has taken a considerable physical as well as psychological toll." Wikileaks in 2016 released medical records claiming its founder's mental health was at risk then if he remained in the embassy, predicting it was "highly likely" his mental health would deteriorate. Ecuador gave Assange citizenship in December, and asked the UK to recognise him as a diplomat. That would have given Assange diplomatic immunity from arrest. The UK refused, which leaves Assange stuck at the Ecuadorean embassy in London. He has been there since 2012. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions last year said Assange's arrest was a US "priority". Ecuadoran President Lenin Moreno said Wednesday that his country and Britain are seeking an arrangement that guarantees Assange's life and safety from US reprisal and also allows for him to be "punished for the mistake he made" in releasing classified US documents. Moreno did not elaborate. But newspaper reports had only a few days earlier quoted him as called Assange a "nuisance". The reports also quoted Moreno as saying Assange was an "inherited problem" (from Moreno's successor) and that Moreno wanted him out of his country's embassy in London. (With inputs from AFP)

Assange confinement at Ecuador embassy 'dangerous' for his health, say doctors

Next year onwards, playing video game excessively might lead to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).&nbsp;

In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO includes &#39;gaming disorder&#39;&nbsp;in its list of mental health conditions.

The WHO defines this disorder as a &quot;persistent or recurrent&quot; behaviour pattern of &quot;sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning.&quot;

While defining the disorder, the WHO also mentions that it is characterised by &quot;impaired control&quot; with increasing priority given to gaming and &quot;escalation,&quot; despite &quot;negative consequences.&quot;

According to the beta draft guidance, video game playing, either offline or online, must&nbsp;be &quot;normally evident over a period of at least 12 months&quot; for this diagnosis to be made.

However, if symptoms are severe and all requirements are met, health care professionals may include people who have been playing for shorter periods of time, the draft reads.

Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the WHO, said in a statement, &quot;The new ICD-11 entry on gaming disorder &#39;includes only a clinical description and not prevention and treatment options&#39;.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; 
Hartl described the ICD as the &quot;basis for identification of health trends and statistics globally and the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. It is used by medical practitioners around the world to diagnose conditions and by researchers to categorize conditions.&quot;

This list is intended to make it easier for scientists to share and compare health information between hospitals, regions and countries. It also enables healthcare workers to compare data in the same location over different time periods. Additionally, public health experts use the ICD to track the number of deaths and diseases.

The existing version of the ICD was endorsed by the World Health Assembly which is the decision-making body of WHO, in May 1990. In the current state, it&#39;s used&nbsp;by more than 100 countries around the world.

The forthcoming version of the ICD will be published in May 2018. 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO included 'gaming disorder' in its list of mental health conditions

Next year onwards, playing video game excessively might lead to a diagnosis of a mental health disorder according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the beta draft of its forthcoming 11th International Classification of Diseases, the WHO includes 'gaming disorder' in its list of mental health conditions. The WHO defines this disorder as a "persistent or recurrent" behaviour pattern of "sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning." While defining the disorder, the WHO also mentions that it is characterised by "impaired control" with increasing priority given to gaming and "escalation," despite "negative consequences." According to the beta draft guidance, video game playing, either offline or online, must be "normally evident over a period of at least 12 months" for this diagnosis to be made. However, if symptoms are severe and all requirements are met, health care professionals may include people who have been playing for shorter periods of time, the draft reads. Gregory Hartl, a spokesman for the WHO, said in a statement, "The new ICD-11 entry on gaming disorder 'includes only a clinical description and not prevention and treatment options'. Hartl described the ICD as the "basis for identification of health trends and statistics globally and the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. It is used by medical practitioners around the world to diagnose conditions and by researchers to categorize conditions." This list is intended to make it easier for scientists to share and compare health information between hospitals, regions and countries. It also enables healthcare workers to compare data in the same location over different time periods. Additionally, public health experts use the ICD to track the number of deaths and diseases. The existing version of the ICD was endorsed by the World Health Assembly which is the decision-making body of WHO, in May 1990. In the current state, it's used by more than 100 countries around the world. The forthcoming version of the ICD will be published in May 2018.

WHO to recognise gaming disorder as mental health condition in 2018: Report

A 25-year-old girl in Lahori village of Jahan in Madhya Pradesh was &quot;chained&quot;&nbsp;for six years, not because she had committed any crime, her problem was that she was suffering from a certain &quot;illness&quot;&nbsp;which triggered mental health issues.&nbsp;

The girl named Babli is apparently &quot;mentally ill&quot;, however, some say she is suffering from typhoid. The girl did not receive proper treatment leading to deterioration of her mental health.

As her health began slipping, Babli started&nbsp;troubling villages, it was then that her father decided to &quot;chain her&quot;. Even though her father took her to several doctors but he could not find any reliable physician. People too turned away from the father-daughter duo.&nbsp;

Babli&#39;s state exemplifies the poor health services which exist in our country, combined&nbsp;with ignorance and poverty has led to the girl&#39;s extreme mental state.

The fact that she was &quot;chained&quot; says something about the way we tackle issues related to mental health and personal well-being.

Babli's state exemplifies the poor health services which exist in our country

A 25-year-old girl in Lahori village of Jahan in Madhya Pradesh was "chained" for six years, not because she had committed any crime, her problem was that she was suffering from a certain "illness" which triggered mental health issues. The girl named Babli is apparently "mentally ill", however, some say she is suffering from typhoid. The girl did not receive proper treatment leading to deterioration of her mental health. As her health began slipping, Babli started troubling villages, it was then that her father decided to "chain her". Even though her father took her to several doctors but he could not find any reliable physician. People too turned away from the father-daughter duo. Babli's state exemplifies the poor health services which exist in our country, combined with ignorance and poverty has led to the girl's extreme mental state. The fact that she was "chained" says something about the way we tackle issues related to mental health and personal well-being.

Watch: Mentally-challenged girl 'chained' by father in Madhya Pradesh

Britain&#39;s Prince Harry suffered &quot;total chaos&quot; before eventually seeking help to deal with the death of his mother Princess Diana, he said in an interview published Monday.

Speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, the 32-year-old prince said he had spent years trying to ignore his emotions following Diana&#39;s death in 1997 when he was just 12.

&quot;My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help? It&#39;s only going to make you sad. It&#39;s not going to bring her back,&quot; he said.

It was not until the age of 28 that he sought help from mental health professionals after encouragement from others, including &quot;huge support&quot; from his older brother Prince William.

&quot;It was 20 years of not thinking about it and then two years of total chaos...I didn&#39;t know what was wrong with me,&quot; he said.

While Harry has referred to grief in the past and supported mental health charities, he is acutely sensitive about media attention and it is rare for him to speak openly about his personal experience.

Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were killed in a car crash in a Paris underpass on August 31, 1997, along with their French driver Henri Paul as they tried to outrun chasing photographers.

Her death triggered a mass outpouring of public grief and Harry walked behind her coffin during a funeral which was broadcast around the world.

Harry said he recently confronted the grief of losing his mother as well as tackling the pressures of a royal life including overcoming a feeling of &quot;fight or flight&quot; during engagements.

&quot;I generally don&#39;t know how we (royals) stay sane. I don&#39;t have any secrets, I&#39;ve probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

Boxing &#39;saved me&#39;&nbsp;

During a decade in the British army Harry served twice in Afghanistan and went on to meet soldiers in a recovery unit, an experience he said had an impact on his health.

&quot;You park your own issues, because of what you are confronted with,&quot; he told The Telegraph.

Describing himself as &quot;a problem&quot; through much of his twenties, Harry said as well as seeking treatment he found taking up boxing helped.

&quot;Everyone was saying boxing&#39;s good for you and it&#39;s really good for letting out aggression. That really saved me, because I was on the verge of punching someone. Being able to punch someone with pads was certainly easier,&quot; he said.

Prince William and his wife Kate are campaigning along with Harry to end stigma around mental health, supporting charities through their Heads Together initiative.

Harry said once he started talking about how he felt he discovered he was &quot;part of quite a big club&quot; and encouraged others to open up.

&quot;What we&#39;re trying to do is normalise the conversation to the point of where anyone can sit down and have a coffee and say, &#39;You know what, I&#39;ve had a really sh*t day. Can I just tell you about it?&#39;&quot; he said.

(AFP)

Only 16 years later did he seek help from mental health professionals after 'huge support' from his older brother, Prince William

Britain's Prince Harry suffered "total chaos" before eventually seeking help to deal with the death of his mother Princess Diana, he said in an interview published Monday. Speaking to The Telegraph newspaper, the 32-year-old prince said he had spent years trying to ignore his emotions following Diana's death in 1997 when he was just 12. "My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help? It's only going to make you sad. It's not going to bring her back," he said. It was not until the age of 28 that he sought help from mental health professionals after encouragement from others, including "huge support" from his older brother Prince William. "It was 20 years of not thinking about it and then two years of total chaos...I didn't know what was wrong with me," he said. While Harry has referred to grief in the past and supported mental health charities, he is acutely sensitive about media attention and it is rare for him to speak openly about his personal experience. Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed were killed in a car crash in a Paris underpass on August 31, 1997, along with their French driver Henri Paul as they tried to outrun chasing photographers. Her death triggered a mass outpouring of public grief and Harry walked behind her coffin during a funeral which was broadcast around the world. Harry said he recently confronted the grief of losing his mother as well as tackling the pressures of a royal life including overcoming a feeling of "fight or flight" during engagements. "I generally don't know how we (royals) stay sane. I don't have any secrets, I've probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions," he said. Boxing 'saved me' During a decade in the British army Harry served twice in Afghanistan and went on to meet soldiers in a recovery unit, an experience he said had an impact on his health. "You park your own issues, because of what you are confronted with," he told The Telegraph. Describing himself as "a problem" through much of his twenties, Harry said as well as seeking treatment he found taking up boxing helped. "Everyone was saying boxing's good for you and it's really good for letting out aggression. That really saved me, because I was on the verge of punching someone. Being able to punch someone with pads was certainly easier," he said. Prince William and his wife Kate are campaigning along with Harry to end stigma around mental health, supporting charities through their Heads Together initiative. Harry said once he started talking about how he felt he discovered he was "part of quite a big club" and encouraged others to open up. "What we're trying to do is normalise the conversation to the point of where anyone can sit down and have a coffee and say, 'You know what, I've had a really sh*t day. Can I just tell you about it?'" he said. (AFP)

Prince Harry suffered 'total chaos' over Diana's death

American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga disclosed on Monday that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after she was raped as a teenager.

The pop icon admitted to battling with the mental illness in an interview at a New York homeless shelter for gay and lesbian (LGBT) youth.

&quot;I told the kids today that I suffer from a mental illness -- I suffer from PTSD,&quot; said Gaga, speaking to NBC television&#39;s &quot;Today Show&quot; program, news agency AFP reported.

Gaga had revealed two years ago that she was raped at age 19 that had left her emotionally weak.

Gaga, now 30, urged the youths at the Ali Forney Center shelter to find the courage to face their problems.

&quot;I don&#39;t have the same kind&nbsp;of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day,&quot; she said.

&quot;I need my mantra to help keep me relaxed. You are brave. You are courageous.&quot;

Gaga has long championed the right of sexual minorities. She thanked the shelter residents on Twitter for &nbsp;&quot;sharing your stories, trauma &amp; pain&quot;.

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
To the LGBTQ&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/AliForneyCenter">@AliForneyCenter</a> thank you for sharing your stories, trauma &amp; pain with me &amp; the world today. Your kindness is contagious. ??
&mdash; xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/805773463466057728">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Today I shared one my deepest secrets w/ the world. Secrets keep you sick w/ shame ??Watch this video <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShareKindness?src=hash">#ShareKindness</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z">https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z</a>
&mdash; xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/805785828697874432">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>

(WION with inputs from AFP)

'I don't have the same kind of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day'

American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga disclosed on Monday that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after she was raped as a teenager. The pop icon admitted to battling with the mental illness in an interview at a New York homeless shelter for gay and lesbian (LGBT) youth. "I told the kids today that I suffer from a mental illness -- I suffer from PTSD," said Gaga, speaking to NBC television's "Today Show" program, news agency AFP reported. Gaga had revealed two years ago that she was raped at age 19 that had left her emotionally weak. Gaga, now 30, urged the youths at the Ali Forney Center shelter to find the courage to face their problems. "I don't have the same kind of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day," she said. "I need my mantra to help keep me relaxed. You are brave. You are courageous." Gaga has long championed the right of sexual minorities. She thanked the shelter residents on Twitter for "sharing your stories, trauma & pain". To the LGBTQ's @AliForneyCenter thank you for sharing your stories, trauma & pain with me & the world today. Your kindness is contagious. ?? — xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) December 5, 2016 Today I shared one my deepest secrets w/ the world. Secrets keep you sick w/ shame ??Watch this video #ShareKindness https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z — xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) December 5, 2016 (WION with inputs from AFP)

Lady Gaga reveals battle with PTSD after rape

Growing up in a family with psychiatrists is anything but ordinary. Once I moved past my fears as an adolescent of being psycho-analysed at the dinner table, I realised that I was privy to some very intriguing interactions beyond what otherwise seemed run-of-the-mill.

One such interaction took place with a gentleman I met a few months ago in the hospital sitting area. A few minutes into our conversation, he shared that it was usually a struggle for him to arrive on time for his appointments. His wife, he explained, insisted he park his car a few blocks away from the psychiatric hospital, and pace around the entrance waiting for the right opportunity to enter, lest he is recognised by someone he may know.

In another case, a husband and wife were in marital discord. The husband&rsquo;s chief complaint against the wife had been her unpredictable holidaying at her parents&rsquo; house outside India. He found out years later, much to his surprise, that she had in fact not been traveling, but staying in the same city as him &ndash; availing treatment for an anxiety- related disorder. She had been afraid to share her troubles with him.

Then there was the baba. A spiritual teacher and healer with a considerable following, he had gained the reputation of taming even the severest of mental illnesses through mystical means. Yet, as he later shared with his followers, when he himself battled depression, he would pay weekly visits to our house, ostensibly to give his blessings, and leave with a prescription. I&rsquo;m told he no longer offers treatment for psychiatric disorders.

<blockquote>
Studies today estimate, conservatively, that at least 2 crore Indians suffer from mental health issues, and 1 in 5 Indians will require some form of professional care for emotional or behavioural difficulties.
</blockquote>

Yet, a recent study found that although mental health awareness activities had larger footprints in metro cities in India, even educated populations in such cities underestimate the prevalence and frequency of mental health disorders. An astonishing 89 per cent felt mental illnesses made individuals vulnerable to ridicule and discrimination, and 63 per cent doubted whether such a person could even lead a life of dignity. The fear of isolation in a crowd, being made to feel like an anomaly, re-inforces the burden of stigma that even common mental health problems carry.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
The fear of isolation is perhaps the biggest obstacle to adequate help from being sought and holds the person back from leading a life of full dignity. Perhaps not surprisingly then, the government itself estimates that 90 per cent people suffering from common mental health issues do not receive any treatment.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

&nbsp;

The Constitution of India guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty, including the right to live with human dignity, for every individual to grow in every aspect &ndash; physical, mental and intellectual. However, it is our failure to overcome simple social fallacies that denies even this most fundamental right of crores of vulnerable people in need of medical treatment.

The study referred to earlier found that 68 per cent people blamed popular culture, in particular, cinemas for irresponsibly promoting biases and prejudices against persons with mental illness. They felt the most identifiable portrayal of a person suffering from a mental illness was that of a dangerous and violent person who was unsociable and eccentric, requiring &lsquo;shock therapy&rsquo; for treatment while being &lsquo;locked up&rsquo; in an asylum. Obviously, for many reasons, this depiction is incorrect.&nbsp;

A former classmate, who battled depression, used to remark how the Indian society demanded unnaturally &lsquo;perfect&rsquo; public figures, and so one had to look outside India for inspiration from public personalities who had overcome mental illnesses. Even my father told me how he would encourage prominent public figures &ndash; actors, sportspersons, musicians, politicians - who met him professionally to consider speaking publicly when they deemed fit about their illness and recovery. However, most hesitated fearing public reactions.

Prominent global personalities like Leonardo DiCaprio, David Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber, JK Rowling and Ellen Degeneres, to name just a few, have spoken about their battles with mental illness. However, there has been far less cause for public debate in India with virtually no role model to navigate it.

<blockquote>
This is why I am elated by what Deepika Padukone has set out to achieve. With her publicly speaking about her depression, we have now seen another handful of public figures also share their stories.

&nbsp;
</blockquote>

The timing could have been no better. It is no longer possible to continue ignoring mental health as it also comes at a cost. The global community is waking up to the overwhelming economics of doing so, and is boosting their budget expenditures to bolster public mental healthcare and even supporting health service providers outside the public health systems. India, however, still seems ill-prepared for this challenge as well as to address the loss to its economy estimated to be $240 billion annually between now and 2030.&nbsp;

The field of mental health is also abuzz for another reason. Certain&nbsp;mental health reforms introduced in the Mental Health&nbsp;Care&nbsp;Bill, 2013 were recently passed&nbsp;by&nbsp;the Rajya Sabha. However, the reforms require extensive governmental investments, without earmarking sources for such investments. Financial impracticality had led to similar ambitious proposals under the National Mental Health Programme (1982) and other national health policies over the past 33 years stalling.&nbsp;

Over the past decade, grappling with problems of a developing country, India has regularly been unable to devote in excess of approx. 1 per cent of its GDP for healthcare. It is imperative for policy-making to be innovative, and acknowledge the past failures, and perhaps even evolve creative means of raising funds to be sustainable.&nbsp;

Besides, it is strongly felt by many that the reforms adopt certain untested concepts, particularly, the individual rights based approach. Modeled on western systems, this may not be well-suited locally, where a large burden of health care falls on families and caregivers as social security norms are lacking and there is a dearth of state-supported facilities. Key national associations of mental health professionals critically observe that, stakeholders in the mental health services who would have the most regular interface with the reformed laws felt were almost entirely excluded from the process of formulating the reforms. &nbsp;

Nevertheless, I am optimistic. With the mental health policy and legislation reforms, we stand at the crossroads with an intent to radically change the mental health landscape of the country that has one of the largest and most ignored populations of people battling a silent epidemic. For far too long those associated with this field have been left to overcome challenges by themselves, marching along while counting small victories and losses every day.

At a time when I had just begun to fathom the scale of the mental health crisis in the country, a friend put things in perspective. She said &ndash; &lsquo;

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<h5>To live with a mental illness in this country is to live a double life, filled with contradictions. I may be the one suffering from an illness, but&nbsp;it is everyone else who seems to be in denial.</h5>
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In denial, indeed.

Indian government estimates that 90 per cent people suffering from mental health issues do not receive any treatment

Growing up in a family with psychiatrists is anything but ordinary. Once I moved past my fears as an adolescent of being psycho-analysed at the dinner table, I realised that I was privy to some very intriguing interactions beyond what otherwise seemed run-of-the-mill. One such interaction took place with a gentleman I met a few months ago in the hospital sitting area. A few minutes into our conversation, he shared that it was usually a struggle for him to arrive on time for his appointments. His wife, he explained, insisted he park his car a few blocks away from the psychiatric hospital, and pace around the entrance waiting for the right opportunity to enter, lest he is recognised by someone he may know. In another case, a husband and wife were in marital discord. The husband’s chief complaint against the wife had been her unpredictable holidaying at her parents’ house outside India. He found out years later, much to his surprise, that she had in fact not been traveling, but staying in the same city as him – availing treatment for an anxiety- related disorder. She had been afraid to share her troubles with him. Then there was the baba. A spiritual teacher and healer with a considerable following, he had gained the reputation of taming even the severest of mental illnesses through mystical means. Yet, as he later shared with his followers, when he himself battled depression, he would pay weekly visits to our house, ostensibly to give his blessings, and leave with a prescription. I’m told he no longer offers treatment for psychiatric disorders. Studies today estimate, conservatively, that at least 2 crore Indians suffer from mental health issues, and 1 in 5 Indians will require some form of professional care for emotional or behavioural difficulties. Yet, a recent study found that although mental health awareness activities had larger footprints in metro cities in India, even educated populations in such cities underestimate the prevalence and frequency of mental health disorders. An astonishing 89 per cent felt mental illnesses made individuals vulnerable to ridicule and discrimination, and 63 per cent doubted whether such a person could even lead a life of dignity. The fear of isolation in a crowd, being made to feel like an anomaly, re-inforces the burden of stigma that even common mental health problems carry. The fear of isolation is perhaps the biggest obstacle to adequate help from being sought and holds the person back from leading a life of full dignity. Perhaps not surprisingly then, the government itself estimates that 90 per cent people suffering from common mental health issues do not receive any treatment. The Constitution of India guarantees the protection of life and personal liberty, including the right to live with human dignity, for every individual to grow in every aspect – physical, mental and intellectual. However, it is our failure to overcome simple social fallacies that denies even this most fundamental right of crores of vulnerable people in need of medical treatment. The study referred to earlier found that 68 per cent people blamed popular culture, in particular, cinemas for irresponsibly promoting biases and prejudices against persons with mental illness. They felt the most identifiable portrayal of a person suffering from a mental illness was that of a dangerous and violent person who was unsociable and eccentric, requiring ‘shock therapy’ for treatment while being ‘locked up’ in an asylum. Obviously, for many reasons, this depiction is incorrect. A former classmate, who battled depression, used to remark how the Indian society demanded unnaturally ‘perfect’ public figures, and so one had to look outside India for inspiration from public personalities who had overcome mental illnesses. Even my father told me how he would encourage prominent public figures – actors, sportspersons, musicians, politicians - who met him professionally to consider speaking publicly when they deemed fit about their illness and recovery. However, most hesitated fearing public reactions. Prominent global personalities like Leonardo DiCaprio, David Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Justin Bieber, JK Rowling and Ellen Degeneres, to name just a few, have spoken about their battles with mental illness. However, there has been far less cause for public debate in India with virtually no role model to navigate it. This is why I am elated by what Deepika Padukone has set out to achieve. With her publicly speaking about her depression, we have now seen another handful of public figures also share their stories. The timing could have been no better. It is no longer possible to continue ignoring mental health as it also comes at a cost. The global community is waking up to the overwhelming economics of doing so, and is boosting their budget expenditures to bolster public mental healthcare and even supporting health service providers outside the public health systems. India, however, still seems ill-prepared for this challenge as well as to address the loss to its economy estimated to be $240 billion annually between now and 2030. The field of mental health is also abuzz for another reason. Certain mental health reforms introduced in the Mental Health Care Bill, 2013 were recently passed by the Rajya Sabha. However, the reforms require extensive governmental investments, without earmarking sources for such investments. Financial impracticality had led to similar ambitious proposals under the National Mental Health Programme (1982) and other national health policies over the past 33 years stalling. Over the past decade, grappling with problems of a developing country, India has regularly been unable to devote in excess of approx. 1 per cent of its GDP for healthcare. It is imperative for policy-making to be innovative, and acknowledge the past failures, and perhaps even evolve creative means of raising funds to be sustainable. Besides, it is strongly felt by many that the reforms adopt certain untested concepts, particularly, the individual rights based approach. Modeled on western systems, this may not be well-suited locally, where a large burden of health care falls on families and caregivers as social security norms are lacking and there is a dearth of state-supported facilities. Key national associations of mental health professionals critically observe that, stakeholders in the mental health services who would have the most regular interface with the reformed laws felt were almost entirely excluded from the process of formulating the reforms. Nevertheless, I am optimistic. With the mental health policy and legislation reforms, we stand at the crossroads with an intent to radically change the mental health landscape of the country that has one of the largest and most ignored populations of people battling a silent epidemic. For far too long those associated with this field have been left to overcome challenges by themselves, marching along while counting small victories and losses every day. At a time when I had just begun to fathom the scale of the mental health crisis in the country, a friend put things in perspective. She said – ‘ To live with a mental illness in this country is to live a double life, filled with contradictions. I may be the one suffering from an illness, but it is everyone else who seems to be in denial. × In denial, indeed.

Looking in from the outside: In denial of mental illness

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