Incidence of Psychological Disorders and Chronic stress high in Mumbai
by Shrutee K/DNS
Mumbai, Oct 2019: People living with mental health disorders do not just face the psychological
consequences of their conditions but are also at greater risk of suffering from
cardiovascular disease, stroke as well as respiratory diseases. As we observe
Mental Health Awareness Day, it is important to talk about the close interplay
between mental and physical health and the need to adopt an integrated approach
to treating mental illnesses.
With the
breakdown of traditional families, increasing migration and a growing
loneliness epidemic, mental health disorders have emerged as a serious public
health concern. A major nationwide survey conducted by NIMHANS estimated that
around 13.7 per cent of India’s population suffered from different mental illnesses
with around 10.6 per cent of them requiring immediate attention. World Health
Organization estimates that around 56 million Indians suffer
from depression while another 38 million are living with anxiety. With
a hectic and highly stressful pace of life, Mumbai residents also face high
incidence of mental health disorders. A report found
that people with psychological disorders accounted for 31% of patients admitted
to municipal healthcare centres in Mumbai. This was more than any other
ailment. This huge mental health burden also has serious implications for
physical health.
“We
often tend to overlook the close connection between mental and physical health.
For a long time, health experts tended to believe that the connection between
mental and physical health was largely due to behavioral issues, such as a
person with depression not getting enough exercise, indulging in unhealthy
eating and smoking. However, research has increasingly shown that there are
physiological connections as well and the biological factors that trigger
mental illnesses can also influence heart disease. Depression has been found to
be linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Schizophrenia is
associated with a higher risk of death from heart disease and respiratory
disease,” says Dr Prakriti Poddar, Mental Health expert, Director Poddar
Wellness Ltd and Managing Trustee of Poddar Foundation.
Addressing
the rising burden of cardiovascular disease must also factor in mental health
as a major risk factor, much like hypertension and diabetes. Chronic
stress is another emerging contributor to increased risk of heart disease and
stroke. The long term build-up of stress hormone cortisol in the brain can
impair brain function and even shrink the prefrontal cortex, the brain area
responsible for memory and learning. Not just brain, chronic stress affects the
entire body and physical health in the long term including significant concerns
such as diabetes, high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart diseases
and stroke. A survey conducted recently by medical insurance provider Cigna TTK
revealed that 9 out of 10 Indians suffered from stress. Chronic stress is found to be particularly high among residents of urban
metropolitan cities such as Mumbai where people struggle with highly stressful
jobs, difficult working hours, and lack of work-life balance as well as paucity
of social support systems such as extended families.
“Apart
from untreated depression and anxiety, untreated chronic stress also has serious
consequences on physical health. It is important therefore for the medical
community as well as awareness providers to adopt a more integrated approach to
physical and mental health. We need to accord high priority to mental health by
establishing intervention and screening mechanisms at different levels –
schools, colleges, workplaces and community levels. Corporate organizations
must take into account the impact of job related stress on the health of their
employees and institute mechanisms to help them deal with it. They must equip
their employees with stress management skills and invest in creating a
work-life balanced environment,” adds Dr
Prakriti Poddar.Often, people
with mental health conditions are also less likely to receive the physical
healthcare they require such as regular health screenings. They are also less
likely to follow health eating and living habits.
Health insurance for
mental illnesses is another area where significant improvement is needed.
Despite the passing of the Mental Healthcare Act
(MHCA), 2017, and the IRDAI asking insurance providers to include mental
illness in their bouquet of services, much needs to be done to make mental
health insurance a functioning reality on the ground. We need insurance providers to adhere to these guidelines in totality and
offer workable and affordable health plans covering mental illnesses without
any significant exclusions. Not only do we need to destigmatize the subject of
mental health but we also need to educate people about insuring themselves
against mental disorders.
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