Mental Health Disorders during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

Abstract

India prides upon its youth, but its youth is being tarnished by mental health ailments which are significant shareholders of India’s non-fatal diseases. It is a significant primary reason for increasing substance abuse, suicide, and violence among Indian youth. If one person is suffering from depression or any other mental ailments, then the patient's family, friends, and work colleagues are all affected by it indirectly or directly; these ailments affect a person’s capability to judge a situation and his capability. It is an invisible illness but clearly visible among youth, yet still stigmatized so much that people often fear coming forward and getting help. Fortunately, some stigmas have been reduced, but there are miles to go before people are as comfortable seeking help in other diseases. Mental illness is still treated as either untouchability or a reason to justify one's action. To overcome this problem, we need to educate the population from an early age to create a safe environment to come out and report mental illness so that the treatment and counseling can start as soon as possible to save those who are being pushed into the depths of darkness and instability. But to address this problem ultimately, we will also need competent psychologists and psychiatrists. The psychiatrist to patient ratio is currently 0.75 psychiatrists for 100,000 patients, and the optimum is above three psychiatrists for 100,000 patients. According to experts, the current pandemic will increase mental instability amongst the population leading to higher substance abuse, suicide, etc.