Our perception of mental health needs to change

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A recent event featuring two senior, legendary men of medicine, who spoke on music and medicine, was riveting. This paper reported how top psychiatrist Dr Ashit Sheth and Padma Bhushan Dr Farokh Udeadia held the audience in thrall.

While Dr Udwadia peppered his speech with quotes from the great philosophers, Dr Sheth's speech had a personal touch. This 81-year-old doc had his audience laughing as he spoke about how his family was aghast when he announced that he wanted to become a psychiatrist.

While he did acknowledge that India has come a long way from when mental health was, for most, an unknown or much misunderstood aspect, he did state that we still have a long way to go.

The first is to understand that mental health, at times, needs medical intervention, and there should be no hesitation in seeking it. It is not just some vague feeling, which may be alleviated by singing songs, thinking of happy events, doing yoga or other suggestions thrown by the well-meaning but uncomprehending of the situation. While exercise does stimulate feel-good hormones, or some techniques do help, many individuals do need medical treatment. They should be helped and encouraged to seek it out.

Contrary to stereotypes, many mental health patients are not violent. So we need to start thinking differently. Mental health professionals are not doctors for the mad. We need to change our perception and thinking about mental health. As we tout moving ahead in the global order on different fronts, let us be aware, informed, empathetic and so empowered as a society when it comes to all facets of mental health.