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Anxiety grips rural India amid worsening mental health crisis

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Delhi, India
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According to a comprehensive new report, almost half of rural India is suffering from anxiety, drawing attention to the challenges faced by these communities.

In rural India, a silent crisis threatens the wellbeing of millions.

This issue has been highlighted by a recent study titled ‘The State of Healthcare in Rural India Report 2024’, which was conducted by Transform Rural India (TRI) and its initiative, Development Intelligence Unit (DIU).

Unveiling a disturbing trend – that anxiety levels in rural India have skyrocketed, with nearly 45 per cent of respondents reporting symptoms – this not only shatters misconceptions about mental health in rural areas but underscores how urgently attention is needed to address this.

The study, which surveyed 5,389 households across 21 states, offers comprehensive insight into how mental illness is impacting rural India.

It reveals a steady rise in a range of conditions, the main one being anxiety, which is not an isolated phenomenon, but part of a broader pattern of deteriorating mental health in India.

Experts point to various factors contributing to this crisis. These include economic instability, changing social structures, and limited access to healthcare, as well as the stigma surrounding mental health in rural communities which prevents people from seeking help.

What’s raised concerns is that for years, the mental health challenges faced by communities in rural villages have been overshadowed by those faced in urban areas.

Until now, that is. As TRI’s findings show, only 3 per cent of households in rural areas opt to pay for caregiving services despite high demand and informal family caregivers, mostly women (72.1 per cent), are the primary source of care.

‘People typically talk mostly about curative healthcare,’ says Shyamal Santra of TRI.

‘But this report looks at the need for maintaining good health as a standard. It’s about individuals, their families, their social connections, and their caregivers. If we look at the demographic transition, with more senior citizens now, and the changing societal structure, there’s an urgent need to focus on caregiving.’

What Santra alludes to is that rural areas often lack mental health professionals, with the majority of psychiatrists and psychologists concentrated in urban centres.

This disparity in access to care leaves millions without support.

Moreover, cultural barriers and misconceptions about mental health can hinder people from seeking treatment. Many do not recognise anxiety as a mental health condition and instead attribute it to personal weakness or spiritual issues.

Confronting the anxiety epidemic in rural India will require multifaceted approach that combines increased resource allocation, public education, and innovative healthcare delivery models.

The State of Healthcare in Rural India Report 2024 is a wake-up call for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community leaders. But this is just the first step.

Now, it is up to all stakeholders to work together to ensure that the mental health needs of rural India are no longer overlooked, paving the way for a healthier, more resilient future for all.

Contributing Writer Delhi, India

Sahil (they/them) is a remote writer for Thred and an economics undergraduate in India. Their diverse cultural background informs their writing and research on gender minorities, climate disparity, and intersectional social issues. When not delving into complex societal challenges, Sahil grapples with their ever-expanding library of unread books – a collection that grows faster than their ability to tackle it.

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