Preventing mental illness should be part of society at every level: Dr Shyam Bhat

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published its World Mental Health Report, 20 years after its landmark 2001 report.

The report argues for a worldwide transformation towards better mental health for all because business as usual for mental health will just not do now more than ever.

According to this report, one of the biggest barriers to demand for mental healthcare is the stigma associated with mental health conditions. People often choose to suffer mental stress silently rather than risk discrimination and ostracisation. This stigma is universal and pervasive across cultures and countries, and we must do our best to curtail it.

To discuss the importance of mental health CNBC-TV18 spoke to Dr Shyam Bhat, Chairperson of LiveLoveLaugh.

Dr Bhat said, “We have to focus on prevention rather than a cure for mental health because it can affect anybody and does affect about 25 percent of our population, and we only have about 8,000 psychiatrists and about 9,000 psychologists. So, the emphasis has to be on prevention. The prevention has to be part of the fabric of our society at every level – at a family level, at a community level and at the individual level on steps that we can take to prevent mental illness.”