Note - Hi! Today, let me take you through the situation of mental illnesses and learning disorders in India. If there is anyone around you suffering from a mental health problem, help them in seeking aid because they are not alone and there is a solution to their problem. If you or someone else is a student who has a learning disorder and wants to learn more about inclusive education and the ways in which you can create an environment open for all, checkout our instagram @projectinclusion20 or reach out to us on projectinclusion20@gmail.com
“Emotional pain is not something that should be hidden away and never spoken about. There is truth in your pain, there is growth in your pain but only if it’s first bought out into the open.” – Steven Aitchison
We all are aware that depression is the leading mental health problem all over the world. But what is its condition in India?
In 2017, 197·3 million people had mental disorders in India, including 45·7 million with depressive disorders and 44·9 million with anxiety disorders according to the research done by the Global Burden of Disease Study.
It is not surprising that the condition of mental health institutions in India is extremely poor. It is still considered as something that shouldn’t be talked about in public and should rather be kept to your own self. The fact that mental health forms an integral part of one’s overall health is often overlooked.
India has been ranked as one of the most depressed countries considering the fact that the infrastructure of India lies behind. Most of the countries are more interested in gaining power and winning the race, that such issues are often not given as much importance as they should be getting.
India reported about 381 suicides daily for the year of 2019 marking an increase of nearly 3.4% suicide deaths as compared to 2018, a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said. If the awareness regarding mental health is not looked upon now there is a definite possibility of an increase in these cases to an uncontrollable number. According to ‘Rebooting 2020: A Story of COVID-19, and Shifting Perceptions’ survey by Mavericks India, sixty-one percent of Indians experienced mental-health related issues during lockdown. This situation is not being given the attention and intervention it demands.
Mental health issues are mostly ignored due to lack of awareness or no apt step is taken to stop suicide. Criminalising it is not the solution! Mental health programmes are necessary. At Project Inclusion'20, we raise awareness about these issues and the ways to tackle them on your own, with the help of a therapist or in your peer group.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that suicide is a serious public "health problem" and is "preventable" with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. There is a need for immediate improvement in the knowledge of adolescents on mental health literacy which suggests that programs need to be developed such that adolescents can seek help from valid resources if the need were to arise and have appropriate knowledge on whom to approach for help.
Every hour one student commits suicide in India.
according to data compiled by the NCRB.
A Zee Research Group analysis of the NCRB report reveals that the suicide rate amongst literate people is higher compared to people with no education.
Nearly 150 million Indians need mental health care services, less than 30 million are seeking care, reasons being lack of appropriate knowledge, infrastructure and attention to mental health issues. The mental health workforce in India is also extremely low – there are 0.3 psychiatrists, 0.12 nurses, 0.07 psychologists and 0.07 social workers per 100,000 population. These figures are alarming!
The treatment and cure for mental illnesses is very much needed but is often ignored or not given as much attention as it seeks. Though yoga has been originated in India and practicing it can prevent mental health disorders up to a certain amount but the condition of this issue is still abominable in India.
As Tamil Nadu tops in prevalence of depressive disorders, Kerala, Goa, and Telangana back it up.
Learning disorders:
Have you ever come across a student in your class who has SLD or specific learning disability? As many of you might say yes, let me tell you people with learning disorders are not those people who have a physical problem such as a visual, auditory or motor handicap but learning disorders manifests in three ways namely, developmental speech and language disorders, academic skill disorders and coordination disorders. It is an “umbrella” term describing dyslexia, dysgraphia etc. They will be apparent in a person’s academic leanings and the way they process information.
So what is the current condition of dyslexia in India?
Dyslexia is a Neurological Condition that is characterized by difficulties that mainly affect the ability of a child to read, write and spell.
According to the Department of Biotechnology, the incidence of dyslexia in India is estimated at 10% and nearly 35 million children in the country are thought to have this learning disability. In 2015, the National Brain Research Centre had launched India’s first indigenously developed and standardised tool for screening and assessing dyslexia. The Dyslexia Assessment in Languages of India, or DALI, is a standardised assessment of around 4,840 children with tools in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada and English, with more being developed.
Some other SLDs include Visual Perceptual, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and Dysgraphia.
However these are not the ‘only’ problems faced by people having learning disabilities.
In India, a student with SLD is most likely to exhibit emotional problems mainly due to poor academic performance. Since SLD is not visible, students suffering from these disorders are not recognized easily.
As a result, the students are easily characterized as poor or bad learners. They are described by the words like lazy, irresponsive, inattentive etc. and are excluded and shunned by their teachers and their peer students. They are usually treated as exclusives from others. As a result, these students become emotionally stressed and show psychological problems.
The Government of India is committed to ‘Education for All’. Inclusion is the key in India’s current education policy. There have been various initiatives in the field of education such as DPEP, National Policy of Education etc., but none of these initiatives address the problems of LD and its related issues. The Government of India also launched Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for universalization of Primary Education but the objective cannot be achieved without including students with special needs including LD under primary education.
At present, In India, LDs are considered only exclusive of a few especially in urban areas. Most of the research works on LDs are done by private organisations and NGOs. Unfortunately, in India there is a large divide between the roles played by health and education departments in the recognition and treatment of LDs. India is a diverse country with multiple languages and varied cultural and social aspects. So, in India, students often learn through a medium or a language that is different from their mother tongue. This makes the estimation and diagnosis of the disorders very difficult. The Indian educational system places high emphasis on theory learning rather than application oriented learning. This system is very ill-suited for students with SLDs. Lack of an alternative system of education with vocational training are also other major hurdles for the education of a student with LD.
WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO?
-Teachers should also inform parents if there are any sudden or constant changes in a child’s academic performance. Teachers should also keenly observe a student’s behaviour with his/her peer students.
- Parents and teachers should constantly review their child’s work and their notes.
Studies have shown that 33% of students with SLDs are gifted. It is interesting to note that many successful people like Walt Disney and Albert Einstein, had SLDs. Agatha Christie, the renowned author and the Queen
of Crime and mystery had dysgraphia. Christie often claimed herself to be the “slow one in the family,” and always found writing and spelling very difficult. Dysgraphia causes some difficulties with written work, spelling, computational arithmetic, fine motor coordination, rote learning, and shortened memory.
Therefore, with proper recognition, intervention and hard work, every student can succeed.
There are a large number of students with LDs, particularly in India and most of them go undetected. India is a diverse country with varied socio-cultural backgrounds. The medium of instruction in schools varies from state to state. Hence, the recognition and identification of the students with LDs become very difficult and awareness about LDs is also very low in India. The guidelines for certification and assessment also vary from state to state. Therefore, a National Policy that provides uniform guidelines is very necessary for today.
By Suhani Singh
Advocate for Mental Health with Project Inclusion'20
Apply now! Link on website and in bio @projectinclusion20
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