IEEE Kharagpur Section

Mental Health and Wellbeing is an inevitable part of our quality of life index. Both physical and mental health are intertwined, we must make mental health a priority. Mental illness is an issue and a major global concern. In 2017, mental illnesses were the second most common cause of years lived with disability (YLDs) and the sixth most common cause of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), resulting in a serious problem for healthcare systems, especially in developing countries. In 2017, mental diseases accounted for 4.7% (3.7%-5.6%) of total DALYs in India, compared to 2.5% (2.0%-3.1%) in 1990. It is alarming to take the necessary steps now. If mental illnesses are left untreated, they can be debilitating in nature making the person disabled. The tragedy is when people are not open to speaking about mental illnesses due to societal negative attitudes, fear of labelling, and stigma. Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. Gradually it started in other countries to spread awareness about mental illnesses through various mediums like social media, local events, and television. Close to 60 to 70 million people in India suffer from common and severe mental disorders. According to WHO average rate of suicide in India is 10.9 for every lakh people. India is the world’s suicide capital with over 2.6 lakh cases of suicide in a year. Still, Mental Illness is a Stigma in India. The most effective way to combat stigma and deal with barriers is to educate people about warning signs and symptoms of mental illness...Talk about mental illnesses and experiences openly...Encourage people to seek professional help who are suffering from mental illnesses...Practice Kindness and Compassion...It's time to Speak openly about Mental Illnesses... Speaker(s): Ms Aparna Jena, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/422030