Mental health disorders: National policy sought

PUDUCHERRY: Stating that the issue of mental health had been neglected in the country, experts at an international conference stressed the need for a national policy to address the same, adding that sound mental health was vital for a healthy future generation.Speaking at the International Conference on Students’ Mental Health, organised by the department of applied psychology, Pondicherry University, Vikram Patel, professor of international mental health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, said that mental health reflected the health of the country, but India unfortunately did not have a national policy to address mental health issues.  Emphasising the need for a national policy, Professor Ramadass, director of studies, educational innovations and rural reconstructions, Pondicherry University, said that our policy makers were wont to forget it as “mental health was difficult to identify”.Explaining further, he said, “All of us experience some or other kind of mental health problem every day, but are not aware of it”.Professor Ramadass said that efforts should be made to identify the causes, remedies as well as intervention strategies to rectify the problem.He highlighted the need for mental health professionals in our country and also urged the need for research, leading to policy implications at the national level in this field.Students, he said, had to face a host of mental health problems on account of competition, academic stress, poor motivation, maltreatment, behavioural problems, etc.  Apart from being beset with anxiety, depression and high risk behavior, there was also high prevalence of suicides among the student community.  International experts like Professor Michael Dunne and Professor Barbara L Bonner also addressed the gathering.  The latter, a child psychologist from Oklahoma, USA, emphasised evidence-based research and treatment of mental illness among students.Prof Sibnath Deb, head, department of applied psychology, introduced the speakers and welcomed the gathering.