For young adults and working professionals, mental health is no longer a concern, it’s a crisis. Data indicates that healthcare institutions in India are reporting an alarming rise—by as much as 30% in the past 3-4 years—in the number of emergency cases or hospital admissions of those suffering from some sort of psychiatric distress, especially among the youth.
“There has been a 20-30% rise (of such cases) compared to earlier times,” said Dr Rituparna Ghosh, consultant, psychology, Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, too, has seen a 20-25% increase in such numbers at its hospital since the pandemic, as per consultant psychiatrist Dr Shaunak Ajinkya. “Mood disorders like depression have increased from 10% to 30%; anxiety disorders have increased from 15% to 31%; and sleep disorders have increased from 15% to 37%,” he added.
Incidentally, young adults and working professionals are seeing the most number of admissions for psychiatric emergencies. As per a new study conducted by Cadabams Hospitals, a private mental health hospital based in Bengaluru, the age group of 30-40 years saw the highest number of admissions, accounting for 34.6% of the total number. This was closely followed by the 20-30 age group, representing 28.8% of admissions. The study was undertaken over a seven-month period among individuals aged 20 to 60 years.
Dr Sunil MR, director facilitator at Cadabams Hospitals, said, “The rise in psychiatric emergencies among young adults is a cause for serious concern. The pressures of work-life balance, financial anxieties and societal expectations are likely contributing factors to the rise in mental health emergencies among young adults and working professionals. It’s crucial to raise awareness and encourage early intervention to prevent escalation.”
As for the gender profile of such patients, at Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon, for instance, men are being brought to emergencies more commonly than women but the longer duration of hospitalisation is of women as compared to men, as per Dr Mantosh Kumar, senior consultant, mental health and behavioural sciences at the hospital.
“Middle-aged men and women are the individuals most commonly brought to the emergency. But a recent change that has been observed is the hospital admission of minors for various mental health conditions,” added Dr Kumar.
According to Dr Sameer Malhotra, senior director and head, department of mental health and behavioural sciences, Max Hospitals, Saket and Panchsheel Park, Delhi, youngsters with faulty sleep wake schedules, performance pressure and academic stress, and a rise in substance use like cannabis among them; stress-related anxiety; elderly people staying all by themselves; and adults with acute marital or financial stress and associated psychosomatic concerns and health anxiety are generally some of the patients coming in for treatment.
But what exactly constitutes an emergency when it comes to mental health? And when does one require hospitalisation?
According to Dr Ashima Ranjan, consultant, psychiatry, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospitals, Noida, a mental health emergency is any situation where a person’s behaviour, mood or thought process becomes so severe that it poses an immediate threat to his or her safety or the safety of others. “Common examples include severe panic attacks, suicidal ideation or attempts, acute psychotic episodes, and extreme agitation or violent behaviour. Hospital admission is required when these conditions cannot be managed safely at home or in an outpatient setting, necessitating intensive supervision, medication management and stabilisation,” she added.
The numbers may be growing, but doctors feel it’s also a good sign that more and more people in India are now dissociating the stigma associated with mental health, initiating conversations and, most importantly, seeking professional help. “Due to more sensitisation towards mental health, people are getting more and more aware of the disorders and trauma triggers that lead to taking instant decisions towards immediate treatment,” said Dr Ghosh of Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai.
Still there is a huge gap between the numbers in need and the numbers that are able to seek the needful treatment, said Dr Malhotra of Max Hospitals.
There remains a significant gap in mental health infrastructure, including shortages of trained professionals (0.7 psychiatrists and 0.03 clinical psychologists per 1 lakh population in India, as per the National Mental Health Survey 2023), inadequate facilities and disparities in access to mental health services, particularly in rural areas, as per Dr Ajinkya of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. “Cultural beliefs, practices and stigma surrounding mental health delay help-seeking behaviours and contribute to the severity of illness when individuals do seek treatment,” he added.