Quitting is an option. Don't burn yourself out. Take occasional breaks. Nothing is above your mental health. Go for therapy, it really helps.
Well, these are just a few of the lines or quotes you may have come across while scrolling through your social media feeds. Don't get me wrong, they sound great. Everything about these quotes sounds perfect except the fact, that we aren't really living in a perfect world. For the most part, these aren't even choices you can make. Forget about going ahead, the affected individuals can't possibly think about it.
Example Before Facts
Let's take an example of a typical middle-class family in India. You have got a son, mother and father. The parents did everything to provide their child with the highest quality education possible, even if it meant taking an education loan. The son graduated and is now doing a 9-5 job with a salary ranging anywhere between 30K-50k per month.
The responsibilities to run the family now, are on him. With his parents and their medical bills, the repayment of his education loan, planning a future, paying rent, and so much more staring him right in the face, anyone is bound to get burned out and fall victim to depression and anxiety.
The Hard Hitting Facts
But can he really take a break? Can he really quit? Can he really prioritise his mental health over all the above-listed things? Well, the answer is as clear as day. Even if he thinks of getting treatment, which by the way, costs anywhere between 1000-5000 per hour, he isn't going to be able to continue with it because of the costs involved.
Why? Because an average individual would need up to 25-30 sessions of therapy to notice even the slightest improvement in their emotional well-being. Insurance coverage is another major issue, with most companies covering the hospitalisation expenses and not the treatment costs. A survey in 2019 found that only 7 per cent of people in India can pay their treatment costs out-of-pocket, and 44 per cent depend on private insurance.
According to a study in the Lancet Psychiatry, the average cost of mental health treatment in India can cost up to 30-40 per cent of an individual's monthly salary. All this, and we haven't even talked about the social stigma that surrounds even the richest of them all. Forget about what it even feels like talking to someone about this in a rural place. According to a report by Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development, India is expected to suffer a loss of $1.03 trillion from 2012-2030.
According to The National Mental Health Survey 2016, 14% of the total population in India is suffering from some form of mental illness. So, what is the government doing? According to Section 18 of the Mental Healthcare Act, of 2017, it is the government's responsibility to provide access to mental health facilities to each and every person. If not, the affected individuals should be reimbursed for their treatment costs. Ever happens? No. Even if the patient is lucky enough to get into a government-run facility, the lack of proper medications, resources, and staff just doesn't cut it.
WHO conducted a study and found that about 90% of people in middle-income countries like India do not receive proper treatment and care. Well, the reason is clear. The system is designed only for the rich, who do not have to worry about them being the sole breadwinners of the family.
The message is clear. Mental health is only for the rich. For others, it is just a myth.
