Social determinants of Mental Illness in India: An Empirical Study of Mental Ailment and Associated Social disquiets

Mental illness has emerged as an important and alarming disquiet in the health domain. The World health organisation (WHO) has defined health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease’. As per NAMI (National alliance of Mental Illness), one out of every five (Roughly, 18.5 percent) people in so-called developed nation has the symptom of mental illnesses. It reflects the graveness of this ever increasing global health burden. Mental illness often considered as something which is more or less associated with the psychology and the mental well-being of an individual. Consequently, the social aspects of mental health are being ignored. Nonetheless, there is a direct co-relation between the Social and Mental well-being. As far as India is concerned, the incidents of mental illnesses increasing gradually. The social stigma, superstitions, social believe system and cultural practices etc, directly or indirectly impacting the mental health of the people. At one hand people are ignorant about mental health and on other hand they are afraid of discussing the mental health issues due to the social stigma and the misconceptions. Therefore, the issue of mental health is not becoming the issue of public discussion which is the greatest hindrance for it cures. Dr Amartya Sen in his famous book ‘The Argumentative Indian’ has suggested that the pathetic health condition could not be improved until it becomes the matter of the public deliberation and the discussions. This study is an attempt to re-initiate the mental health debate and to explore the various external social factors which impact mental health of the people in India. Mentally ill patients have been interviewed in Thane Mental Hospital, Thane, Maharashtra. In addition, their case records (at mental hospital) have been duly reviewed to get the desired insights about the social determinants of mental illness.