The absurd stigma around seeking mental health advice in India

The everincreasing importance of psychological issues and wellness has been a gigantic wave in the recent past and it is expected to rise massively The concept of mental health has been revolutionary over the years especially after the COVID pandemic era Mental health is the emperor in todays world However this wasnt the case a few years back and even now we have a long way to go The stigma around this profession has been deeprooted in the psyche of mankindAs from generations people have been ingrained with this irrational intense preconceived prejudice stigmatising beliefs and imbibed the fear of being negatively evaluated judged and looked down upon by other members of society Henceforth starting a conversation or seeking help or even helping oneself is compromised and staying oblivious stuck and making the condition worse becomes the preferred choicepriorityWhen people start acting out on these values with this kind of biased attitude the consequence is a societal blemish which is as contagious as common cold The problem never subsides it still exists in fact it has aggravated only because of the prolonged ignoranceIt still is very common that if an individual has any healthrelated disease for example a viral fever or any other bodily infection heshe will consult a doctor and get treated after a checkup However when it comes to psychological issuesillnesses of any sort the first reaction is the lack of acknowledgement or awareness about the existing problem followed by the lack of acceptance even if there is acknowledgement and lastly if by any chance these above two conditions prevail no steps are taken further for the improvement of the problem or for betterment It seems unfair because the individual is denying hisher own reality and doing injustice to themselvesIts time that we break the myths and taboos surrounding psychological help and start a conversation about the concerns issues and battles that weve been fighting silently Prioritising mental health should become the new normal With the alarming increase in mental health needs of the population it becomes the responsibility of psychologists and other professionals of the same field to psych educate as many people as they can regarding the significance demand and supply of mental wellbeing and overall quality of a healthy lifestyleEmerging technologybased solutions including telephoneaudio counselling and videoWeb conferencing tools selfdirected Webbased and desktop computerbased therapeutic tools Webbased text communication eg email chat forums and mobile technologies can help break down barriers to accessing mental healthcare by providing information accessible and private therapy services and addressing some of the key mental health stressors people face such as harassment abuse work pressure family problems or other mental health disordersThe Internet offers several avenues for augmenting the health care services in clinical settings Remote video consultation for example could give consumers greater access to skilled health professionals regardless of geographic proximity The use of the Internet to transfer medical images to expert interpreters could accelerate and improve the diagnostic process as well as reduce costs Virtual reality tools could help therapists plan effective intervention techniques and improve their use of information during procedures The use of the Internet to access and assemble health records could give a provider improved information for treatment purposes regardless of whether the patient is a regular client or a strangerFurthermore telehealth platforms which include instant messaging or video calling already are proving useful in primary care settings for helping counselors reach clients Telephonebased interventions have been shown to have considerable clinical utility in areas such as the behavioural management of chronic pain Naylor Keefe Brigidi Naud ampHelzer 2008 and as part of posttreatment smoking cessation efforts Regan Reyen Lockhart Richards amp Rigotti 2011 As telephones including mobile phones have been a routine part of life for so long research typically shows that both clinicians and clients are comfortable with telephonebased counsellingIndeed many clients consider telephone counselling a satisfying and helpful process Reese Conoley amp Brossart 2002 2006 Additionally some evidence suggests that clients may participate in counselling sessions more if they are offered in a distance telehealth environment as an alternative or an adjunct to inperson settings Day amp Schneider 2002In conclusion significant developments in technology continue to emerge and offer great promise for integration into behavioural health services This is an exciting time for harnessing technology to increase the quality and reach of effective behavioural health services but a carefully planned approach for embracing TAC is essential to grant behavioural health service providers and program administratorsas well as their clientsthe greatest benefitDr Ashna Gupta Clinical Psychologist vHealth by AetnaRead More Experts reveal how extreme positivity can impact mental health and wellnessThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever