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Policy Memo on the Medicalization of Mental Health
Mental health has been an issue of concern in India as it measures how people are affected mentally by the living conditions and the state of the economy. I have done many studies and discovered that most individuals in the country are touched by mental health in some manner, so it is a problem, especially for the young productive people in our economy (1). As a result, determining the nature of this problem is essential. There has been an increase in the Medicalization of mental health and the country’s importation of some pharmaceuticals from other countries. Since I have seen that there are risks associated with the use of drugs imported from other countries to treat mental health conditions, this topic must be discussed and resolved as soon as possible.
The process through which mental health issues are increasingly seen as medical issues requiring professional medical care is known as the Medicalization of mental health. The pathologizing of typical human emotions and experiences, the overmedication of the populace, and the diminution of people’s autonomy and control over their own lives are only a few of the detrimental effects of this process (2). The development of psychiatry as a medical specialist in the 19th century laid the foundation for medicalizing mental health. Since then, the variety of mental health issues recognized as medical conditions needing care has steadily increased.
Due to various variables, including the growing importance of the biological model of mental health, the growing use of diagnostic technology like brain imaging, and the growing influence of the pharmaceutical business, this trend has increased in recent years. Numerous harmful effects of the Medicalization of mental health revolve around pathologizing typical human emotions and experiences (3). For instance, anxiety, melancholy, and loss are typical human feelings that everyone may encounter at some time in life. Second, the population becomes over-medicalized due to the Medicalization of mental health. The reason is the constant expansion of what constitutes a mental health disorder.
Consequently, more and more individuals are receiving medicine and being diagnosed with mental health issues. This practice may have various detrimental impacts, such as the misuse of medicine, drug side effects, and the stigmatization of mental health issues. Finally, people’s autonomy and control over their own lives are diminished due to the Medicalization of mental health. The reason is that one is no longer seen as being accountable for their situation when recognized as having a medical issue. Instead, the individual is seen as a patient who needs medical attention.
The DSM classification system for mental illnesses and psychiatric conditions has several limitations contributing to medicalizing mental health issues. This phenomenon, in turn, draws some different problems. Medicalization is the process by which something previously not considered a medical condition is seen as such (4). This act may occur for various reasons, such as the creation of innovative medical technologies, alterations in social attitudes, or the impact on the medical profession itself. The pathologizing of the typical human experience is one of the issues that can arise due to the increasing prevalence of Medicalization. For instance, while grief and mourning are normal responses to the loss of a loved one, these emotions can also be interpreted as indicators of a major depressive disorder in some people. This action can result in people being medicated or treated for something that is not a medical condition, potentially harmful to their health.
Another drawback of the Medicalization of mental illness is that it may result in an increased number of false diagnoses of mental disorders (5). The reason is that the criteria for diagnosing a mental illness are frequently quite general, and mental health professionals are frequently encouraged to diagnose and treat mental illness. This act can result in people being diagnosed with a mental illness when they do not have one, leading to them being medicated or treated unnecessarily. Additionally, this phenomenon can result in people being diagnosed with a mental illness when they do not have one.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a complicated system for classifying mental illnesses and psychiatric conditions. One of the most significant issues with the DSM is that it is founded on a medical model of mental illness, which is an incorrect representation of the condition. Additionally, the DSM places a significant emphasis on the consensus of experts, which may result in shifts in diagnostic categories that are not supported by empirical (6). Medicalization and the DSM system of categorizing mental illnesses and psychiatric conditions have several drawbacks when viewed as a whole; these drawbacks compound one another. These issues can result in the needless administration of medication and treatment, an excessive diagnosis of mental illness, and the pathologizing of ordinary human experiences.
The State of India’s Mental Health
Massive economic losses are predicted for India due to mental health issues. Over 322.48 million people worldwide suffered from significant depression. Additionally, as of 2015 and 2017, more than 14% of the total population in India suffered from varying mental disorders (7). In India, this proportion is skewed heavily toward women of retirement age. India is “facing a probable mental health crisis,” according to Ram Nath Kovind, the country’s president, who made this claim in 2017. In the same year, research found that 14% of Indians suffered from mental health conditions, including 45.7 million people with depressive disorders and 49 million people with anxiety disorders (8). The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified this mental health crisis, and reports from throughout the globe show that the virus and lockdowns that went along with it had a substantial influence on the populace, especially younger people.
Chart 1.0 above shows that in the last three years, from 2013 to 2016, the number of people affected by mental disorders gradually increased (7). From the data provided by the given institutes, the number of patients increased, which should be an issue affecting many people in the country. Therefore, the government should at least take a step to make this issue decrease, especially as the country is facing high population growth.
Table 1.1
Table 1.1 above shows that the number of suicides caused by mental health issues has decreased gradually from 7% in 2010 to 5.4%. There are still issues under consideration as this data could increase cases due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic that made many people lose their jobs and loved ones (9). The situation at hand could also be worse due to the recent economic recession due to the rising global oil prices and the war in Ukraine.
Alternative Approaches to Improving Mental Health in India
People struggling with mental illness are frequently reluctant to seek help due to the stigma surrounding mental health problems. This behavior can be due to a lack of understanding about mental health and a lack of access to treatments related to mental health. Increasing public awareness about mental health challenges is one step that may be taken to improve the state of mental health in India (10). This initiative can be accomplished by participating in campaigns and efforts to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Individuals must be aware of mental illness’s warning signs and symptoms and the various available treatment choices. Increasing access to mental health treatments is yet another method that could be utilized to better India’s mental health. Increasing the number of trained experts in the field of mental health, such as counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, is one way to accomplish this goal.
It is vital to lower the cost of mental health care and make it easier to obtain, particularly in rural and outlying locations (11). Finally, it is essential to focus on the elements that lead to the emergence of mental illness. This step includes resolving challenges such as prejudice, unemployment, and poverty, among other societal problems. We can help to prevent mental illness from happening in the first place if we focus on addressing the factors that lead to its development. Mental issues are a big problem in India as they affect most people, especially the vulnerable and the weak. Therefore, it should be considered that according to the issues raised and the worrying data, the government should consider the recommendations given to reduce mental health effects on the people of India.
References
Ian C. Mental health social work re-imagined. 1st ed. Bristol, United Kingdom: Policy Press; 2019.
Gaudenzi P. Mental Suffering and Medicalization: A Necessary Evil? JOJ Nursing & Health Care [Internet]. 2018;9(1):555-4.
Sholl J. The muddle of medicalization: pathologizing or medicalizing? Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics [Internet]. 2017.
Nolfi K. Which Mental States Are Rationally Evaluable, And Why? Philosophical Issues [Internet]. 2015.
Thero VS. Meditation May Alter Medication Sleep Disorder and Mental Illness. Archives in Neurology & Neuroscience [Internet]. 2019.
Clark LA, Cuthbert B, Lewis-Fernández R, Narrow WE, Reed GM. Three Approaches to Understanding and Classifying Mental Disorder: ICD-11, DSM-5, and the National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). Psychological Science in the Public Interest [Internet]. 2017.
Kango DA, Singh A. Depressive symptoms in patients of schizophrenia in state mental health hospital. Journal of Medical Science and Clinical Research [Internet]. 2021;9(6):257-59.
Bernadine M. Understanding India’s mental health crisis [Internet]. Ideas for India. 2021. Web.
Srivastava S. Geriatric Mental Health Issues from India. International Perspectives on Aging [Internet]. 2021.
Deb S, Gerrard BA. Handbook of Health and Well-Being. 1st ed. Singapore: Springer; 2022.
Thomas S. Making a More Mentally Healthy World. Issues in Mental Health Nursing [Internet]. 2021.
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