Mind matters: Editorial on mental health crisis and cons of neglecting anxiety

An estimated 470 million people around the world suffer from anxiety disorder, making it the globe’s predominant mental health condition, according to the World Health Orga­ni­zation. In India, the mental health landscape mirrors the global data. According to an analysis by the Global Burden of Disease Study published in The Lancet, anxiety disorder prevalence surged by 123.5% in India — rising from 2,591.9 cases to 5,792.8 cases per 100,000 people between 1990 and 2023. Key factors driving this crisis include persistent psychological stress, genetic and biological factors, and the multi-fold pressures of modern urban living; these include intensifying academic competition, shrinking pools of employment, and declining social support networks even as the family fragments as an institution. Moreover, the deteriorating environmental challenges are contributing to anxiety disorders. Extreme Weather Events and their deleterious consequences, studies have found, weigh heavy on the minds of affected communities. WHO has established links between anxiety disorders and public health. A hyperactive nervous system heightens long-term cardiovascular risks while unhealthy coping habits — like alcohol misuse — worsen metabolic health. Leaving anxiety untreated significantly raises the risk of clinical depression, substance abuse issues, and suicidal thoughts.

Despite anxiety disorders being common globally and the availability of highly effective treatments for it, a critical care gap remains: WHO found only about one in four people in need (27.6%) actually receives treatment. Obstacles to getting help include low funding for mental health services and research, shortage of trained providers and, revealingly, the social stigma associated with mental illness. There is a gender dimension as well. According to a 2019 report by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, mental health issues impact 20% of women in India, which is twice the prevalence observed in men. The NIMHANS findings highlight that women suffer disproportionately from conditions like depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. Significantly, anxiety remains vastly under-researched compared to other mental health ailments like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. It is also frequently dismissed as a temporary mood fluctuation rather than a distinct pathology. Addressing the crisis would require interventions to improve the quality of physical and mental health. But that alone will not do. Greater investment must be made in the field of mental health research and its associated prejudices and discriminations as well as in building community networks to address the challenge.