Sushant Singh Rajput’s Death Shows We Still Don’t Talk About Mental Health Here Is Why, When And How To Seek Help

The shocking death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who died of suicide is once again shedding some light on one of the less talked about health crisis in India - Mental health crisis.?

According to the World Health Organization, 7.5 percent of India’s 135-crore population, which is around 10 crore, suffers from mental health issues, with anxiety and depression, being the most common among them.? ?

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What is even worse is that the numbers are only increasing and by 2020 around 20 percent of Indians are said to have some sort of mental illnesses.?

One of the alarming consequences of the rinse in mental illnesses is a subsequent increase in the number of suicides.

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According to WHO, 2.2 lakh lives are lost to suicide in India every year, a rate of 16.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

Those working in the field?blame a long-running attitude of denial among Indians as the reason for the increasing number of cases and deaths.

"Even today, talking about mental health issues is considered a taboo in our country. When someone says they are having anxiety or are depressed, the immediate reaction from those around will - you are not mentally strong. Reactions like this result in people refraining from sharing their condition with others. They try to cope with it their own and when they fail they end up committing suicide," Tiesta Duggal, a Gurugram-based life coach said.?

Today, life is a rat race and everyone is on a mad rush for success in life. While some achieve success, others who fail to do are under stress and the more successful people they see around them make them even more depressed.

"There is a lot of competition around, and that causes stress. On social media we see people doing good in their lives and want to be like them. The desire for a luxurious lifestyle is also another cause. But due to the lifestyle and work pressure, the individual will not have that strength inside. So when the desired result is not there they become stressed. This further leads to other health issues and causes more stress," she explained.?

Duggal said that it is important for the individual who is facing mental health issues to realize when to seek help.

"If it becomes very difficult to cope with your emotions, or if you are feeling sorrow for 3-4 weeks or if you are not feeling the same zest and joy in your daily activities, not having proper sleep, fail to communicate with coworkers, you start getting a lot of negative thoughts over a period of time, and have suicidal thoughts, you should seek help from a professional," she said.

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She also said that even before seeking help from a counselor or mental health professional, one can make small, conscious efforts in life to deal with stress.?

"The basic and easiest thing to do is deep breathing. As we are always in a rush, our breath is always short and because of this, the serotonin and oxytocin levels in our bodies are going down. The moment we start deep breathing, the hormones will start releasing. Another thing that you can do is talk to a friend, cry it out in front of them, or just cry in front of a mirror and let out everything that is stuck inside," Duggal said.?

Often it is the family that one relays back for support and Duggal said this support system is key when it comes to an individual's mental health.

"Family is the root of a person. If there are troubles in the family, the roots begin to weaken up. If a family is supportive, even for an adult, by providing a safe environment by listening to them, that in itself is very big support that the family can give," she said.

Over the years, several corporate companies have realized the need for keeping their employees mentally healthy and have invested in providing counsellor access to those in distress. Duggal, however, felt that there should be a change in policy where mental health is given more importance by the government.

"Today a lot of companies, schools, and other institutions are waking up to this reality but more needs to be done. One thing the government can do is set up a helpline that can give counselling for free for those who cannot afford to go for an expensive session," she said.