The world in crisis of "monumental suffering" on mental health, say experts | Society

All countries in the world are facing a crisis in mental health, not epidemics of anxiety and depression, but also trauma related to violence and trauma. According to a study by experts, this cost is expected to rise to £ 16 million by 2030.

A team of 28 world experts brought together by the Lancet medical journal says that there is a "collective failure to respond to this global health crisis," which "results in a monumental loss of human capacity and preventable suffering."

The burden of mental illness is increasing everywhere, says the Lancet Commission, despite advances in understanding the causes and treatment options. "The quality of mental health services is consistently worse than that of physical health services," says their report, published at the London Global Ministerial Summit on Mental Health.

The Commission believes that, with regard to mental health, each country is a developing country. "Public investment and development assistance for mental health remains pitifully modest," says the report. The high cost of $ 16 million by 2030 is estimated from previous World Bank data on the loss of working-age people with mental health problems for the global economy.

In some countries, people with mental disorders are abused and incarcerated. "Human rights violations and abuses persist in many countries, with large numbers of people being locked up in psychiatric institutions or prisons, or living on the streets, often without legal protection," says the text. .

Prof. Vikram Patel of Harvard Medical School, Chief Editor, said that mental health problems had caused "tremendous human suffering" and were responsible for a significant number of deaths attributable to death. Other causes. "Mental health problems kill more young people than any other cause in the world," he said.

Suicides are attributed to deaths due to injuries. Opioid-related deaths are considered drug abuse. "We treat mental illness as a risk factor," said Patel. "Historically, diseases that kill are among the world's health priorities." The commission estimates that 13.5 million deaths could be prevented each year if the underlying mental health problems were resolved.

In many countries, no help is expected. Surveys conducted in India and China, which account for one-third of the world's population, suggest that more than 80% of people with a mental health or addiction disorder did not seek treatment. And when they seek help, the quality is mediocre.

Human rights violations most often involve people with mental disorders such as schizophrenia and learning disabilities. "Tens of thousands of people with mental disorders are chained at home or in traditional prayer camps and healing centers," the report says.

When people are released, this can be done without warning or adequate preparation for their care, sometimes leading to arrest, imprisonment and premature death. "In 2016, a tragic case occurred in South Africa when the Gauteng Ministry of Health stopped funding a large 2,000-bed facility and authorized the dismissal of vulnerable people with psychosocial disabilities into unauthorized community residential facilities, resulting in the death of more than 140 people. Says the report.

The commission recommends that mental health and parity be given greater priority with physical health care, as well as the integration of mental health care into routine primary care.