95% Indians suffering from mental illnesses go untreated

 Close to 95% of Indians requiring psychological treatment do not receive medical help, says a new research by India’s top doctors.

Carried out on more than 33,000 individuals in 11 areas, the study found that numerous people suffer from depression and other psychological illnesses.

But what is astounding is that almost 95% of the population requiring medical intervention do not get it.

“Depression is twice as common in women, but it is the men who visit the hospitals more,” team leader of the research Dr Rajesh Sagar told DH. Sagar, a professor of psychiatry at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), asserted that depression is set to emerge as the world’s leading cause of disability in a decade-and-a-half, and India would be no exception.

India houses almost 56 million people with some form of depressive behaviour, the World Health Organisation’s representative to the country Henk Bekedam pointed out.

The global body chose depression as the theme of the World Health Day to raise awareness on mental disorders.

The results from the new research by AIIMS doctors come at a time when the new mental health care bill is set to become a law.

It is now awaiting the signature of assent from the President.Anxiety disorder, depression and substance abuse are the three most common psychological illnesses afflicting lakhs of Indians.