Mental health amid pandemic: social stigma, financial vulnerability barring people to seek treatment
By Mahima Devkota, Kathmandu, Jan. 8: The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered mental health problems in many more than ever before, but the lack of access and stigma attached to it has augmented the problems.
There has been 30 per cent rise in the number of mental health patients in 2020, as per the report of Nepal Snehi Kakha.
The lack of easily available treatment and social perspective regarding mental health problems have created hurdles against the issues of mental health problems.
There has been a significant rise in anxiety, fear, alcohol use disorder, depression, and schizophrenia because of the lockdown measures to curb the spread of the virus.
However, the social stigma attached to mental health issues and financial vulnerability are the leading factors that have stopped people from seeking mental health treatment, said Pujan Sharma, Psychologist at Man-Mohan Memorial Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Swayambhu.
A report of the Mental Health Concern during COVID-19 pandemic, published in Europasian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2020, states that in 74 days from 24th March to 6th June 2020 of lockdown in Nepal, 20 percent increment in suicidal rates were observed while 1,200 cases of suicide throughout the country have been reported.
This illustrates that almost 17 lives have been lost per day due to suicide during the period of lockdown only, the effect of the aftermath is yet to be observed fully.
Psychologist Sharma said that the COVID-19 pandemic has limited people in the closed space of the home and has made the income-generating opportunities scare. This has hit the finances and thus the family dynamics as well.
Sharma said that there was only one mental health-related governmental hospital in the Kathmandu Valley which makes it difficult to provide effective services, and the cost of treatment in private clinics is too high to bear for lower and middle-income families.
Sharma said, “Taking excessive and multiple medicines, taking un-prescribed medicines, poisoning oneself with the intake of insecticides and rat poison, multiple suicide attempts were majorly of incidents seen amidst the pandemic, which is a clear sign of deteriorating mental condition.”
But, many people do not seek mental treatment because of the prevalent social stigma attached to it, which further exacerbates the problem, she added.
Pointing out the need of building more skilled human resources and well-equipped physical infrastructure regarding diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, she said that many people go untreated and uncared for because of which many come in the streets, face abuse, neglect, and violence.
Similarly, Shrineha Pokharel, founder of Nepal Snehi Kakha, said, “There has been a rise in mental health problems during COVID-19 pandemic, but most of those who suffer have not received necessary safe-esteem and treatment because of the lack of outreach, resources, and awareness.”
She added, "People suffering from mental health problems are the most vulnerable segment of the population as they themselves cannot ask for help. Therefore, building safe-esteem and helping them realize that they are safe and wanted is a tool to make them active and independent again".
Saying that she has witnessed people having mental health problems eating their own flesh, wounds, and meat of dead animals, wearing inappropriate clothing, and surviving in streets, Shrineha pointed at the need of resources, policy intervention, understanding about the mental health problem and medical professionals to shed light on this increasing serious matter.