India has been working hard towards mental health awareness. The first Global conference on Mental Health and Wellness was held in India in 2020 and was attended by over 120 mental health experts from all across the globe. Despite globalization, the practice of traditional medicine still has a large say in curing mental disorders. India is yet to develop mental health infrastructure that will promote mental health awareness.
Positive mental health care programs have therefore produced encouraging results. Some of these strategies are undertaken to achieve mental health awareness have been successful in curbing stigma and distancing the community from mental health problems. A major part of such programs involves sensitizing the members of the community to mental health care services. Programs like AIDS prevention, substance abuse, depression, and bipolar disorder are being addressed successfully. Stigma is a huge barrier that hinders access to mental health services. It is necessary therefore to address stigma related to mental health and the major tools at hand are education, information dissemination, and sensitization.
However, despite the advancement made in the sphere of mental health awareness, some challenges remain. Stigma may still be prevalent and there are still social limitations when it comes to seeking mental health services. Many people in rural communities continue to suffer from mental health issues and face tremendous social and personal discrimination. In order to address issues of stigma and exclusion, many organizations have started implementing programs and awareness exercises that aim to break down social divisions.
Multi-level programs and mass media interventions have also proven effective in reducing stigma and in building a sense of mental health awareness. Mass media interventions include television commercials, print media and internet advertisements. Educational system programs have also proved successful in increasing the number of individuals who seek mental health services. A multi-level program focusing on substance abuse and other mental illnesses like anxiety and depression may provide a greater impact by reaching more individuals at various levels of the educational system.
Effective mental health awareness programs need to address the negative feelings that may lead to the prevention of mental health disorders. One such aspect is negative thoughts and beliefs that can create self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative thoughts are believed to be the root cause of a mental disorder and by curbing these, the individual can significantly reduce his vulnerability to serious mental disorders. Positive thoughts and beliefs can help in creating an environment that encourages identification and curbing of negative feelings.
Apart from proper mental health awareness, there are also some medical interventions that can reduce the stigma associated with mental illnesses. For instance, electroconvulsive therapy has been found very effective in eliminating cases of depression and anxiety. The use of antipsychotic drugs has also significantly reduced stigma connected with mental disorders. These interventions can be used as a strategy to improve the self-esteem and social confidence of those suffering from mental illnesses.