India Reports 40% Increase in Mental Health Issues in April!

WHAT is going on?

Aspirations for corporate glamour, swanky corner offices & high end lifestyles have devoured us significantly. We have been so invested in making a life that we forgot to live. It took a whole uncontrolled pandemic for the realization to dawn upon us that we are not just defined by our career dreams but also our broken pieces.

A research report on the burden of mental disorders across states of India revealed the following [as quoted for authenticity]:

• “In the Lockdown, one among every seven people in India has a mental disorder, ranging from mild to severe. Among the mental disorders that manifest predominantly during adulthood, the highest disease burden in India was caused by depressive and anxiety disorders.”

• “Despite efforts by the government, poor implementation of mental health services in India has been documented, with a high treatment gap for mental disorders, poor evidence-based treatment, and gender differentials in treatment”.

Times are trying, aren’t they?

WHERE is the real problem- We are facing?

Looking at ourselves in the mirror, we are beginning to see that we aren’t the fairest of them all. The signs were always there but somehow missed despite having YouTube-searched “sleep therapy music” several times. Those dark circles around our sleep deficient eyes, the wrinkles on our foreheads & hair that is somehow greying too soon, have always been visible indicators of what years of professional battering have been doing to our mental health. With Social distancing and Work From Home becoming the new normal, the repercussions on working professionals are far from pleasing.

Several industry leaders such as Tata Steel & Mahindra and Mahindra have already taken cognizance of this development and employed mental health experts to help employees reach out and seek help. Counselling firms have noticed a surge in inquires for mental health treatment, the major cause of which is the absence of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) in most companies.

But that’s not it. To compound the problem, especially in India, we have a severe shortage of mental health personnel. For every 100,000 population, India has just 2 mental health workers and 0·3 psychiatrists, which is ridiculously lower than the world average.

Not exactly music to your ears, is it?

HOW do you deal with something like that?

Amusingly the solution is Music as Therapy! And fortunately this solution comes with a plethora of benefits.

WHY Music Therapy for Depression & Anxiety?

Stress kills prematurely, can be self-diagnosed and can be treated with a  prescription independent medicine. Yes you guessed the treatment correctly – Music as Therapy.

Interestingly post national lockdown, therapists and spiritual healers have taken to the internet as well making music therapy courses online a very popular method of mental treatment.

Music is a non-pharmaceutical and highly cost effective treatment method. Moreover, India lacks enough emphasis on treatment of mental troubles out of fear of societal judgements and cost of treatment. Our most consulted doctor is Google and unsurprisingly one of the most sought after search results is “sleep therapy music”.

Plugin Your Headphones, Close Your Eyes & Witness Magic Happen!

Music therapy in India, not having been largely recognised, is gradually picking up due to the enforced rules of lockdown. Masses spread across spectrums of geography, age, profession and irrespective of religion are adopting this holistic approach.

Music therapy research reveals that just 10 minutes a day dedicated to a few exercises with structured music can significantly augment one’s mood and alleviate stress levels. Step one is of course to be aware that there’s a problem which needs fixing. And secondly, to reach out to the right professionals to assist you. Where can you find Music Therapy courses online?

Carried out by experienced professionals, Music therapy courses in India are offered by organisations such as Text and Clicks Academy. REACH OUT AND START RE-LIVING!

Lastly, more that 87% of Indians don’t even realise that they are on stage 1 and 2 of depression. DON’T LET IT GET THAT FAR….GET IN TOUCH NOW!