Mental Health-Related Deaths Spiked Since 2019 in Maharashtra; Here's What Experts Say

According to data released by the state’s health department, deaths due to mental health-related issues have spiked since 2019. All 26 deaths were reported in 2019, but the numbers shot up in the subsequent years and 1,073 deaths were reported in 2022, as per the data.

Maharashtra in 2019 saw 26 deaths, all from delusional and schizophrenia-related illnesses. However, in the following years, the primary cause of death was mental and behavioral illnesses brought on by the use of psychoactive substances. Meanwhile, 2020 saw 1171 deaths, of which 530 were linked to the use of psychoactive substances. It was shown that the use of psychoactive substances was a factor in 740 out of 1190 deaths in 2021 and 636 out of 1073 deaths in 2022.

In a conversation with Mumbai Live, Dr. Austin Fernandes, who is a Psychiatrist and Consultant, said, “If reports say that in 2019, they just reported 26 deaths. It is supposed to be an understatement. There would have been many more deaths. Substance use has always been there, and it has been contributing to mental health problems. Substance use adds to the comorbidity of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues, which then pushes and causes deterioration of the health condition of the person and leads to death of the person. It can also cause different issues like depression and psychosis, which give rise to suicidal tendencies and ultimately lead the person to commit suicide.”

To enhance mental health services, the state has chosen to implement a three-tiered strategy: bolstering mental health services at district hospitals, preparing MBBS physicians at primary healthcare centers (PHCs) to perform psychiatric assessments, and offering free mental health services via tele-MANAS.

Dr. Fernandes, who works at Hiranandani Hospital in Powai, said that he sees 15 to 20 patients a day who are dealing with different mental health issues. He also stated that the numbers have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasised that after COVID-19, there is a spike in substance consumption in teenagers.

Over the past three months, the main complaints counselors at the toll-free mental health helpline 'Tele-MANAS' have heard are lack of sleep, loneliness, general unhappiness, stress, and anxiety. The Directorate of Health Services shared data indicating that between November 2022 and February 10, the helpline number '14416' received over 5,457 calls, of which 465 were followed up with further contact following a favorable experience.

Mr. India 2017 and Founder of Pause Breathe Talk Foundation, Darasing Khurana shared, “In the lockdown, since everything was shut down, people had a lot of free time, and this led to overthinking. Overthinking and taking excess stress are other reasons for having mental health issues. When something or someone is bothering you at work when you come back home, you know that for the next 10–12 hours you need not worry about it; you feel relaxed. But it was not like this during lockdown. People were stuck; they had no break from stress, and they were overthinking a lot. This is a major reason for the increase in suicide numbers.”

Speaking about mental well-being or seeking help from a doctor is considered taboo in metro cities and rural areas. If someone is consulting a doctor for counseling, society labels that person as mentally ill and, at times, does not even accept the person. This makes the person suffer more from the issues he or she is having because society’s label and unacceptance invoke fear in a person’s mind to seek help.

But the times are changing now. Talking about this, Darasing further added: "Yes, it is taboo, but with social media and other platforms becoming more vocal, people are coming out and seeking help."

When actor Sushant Singh Rajput died, many people checked on each other and promised to help if required. Many celebrities also posted on social media that if anyone needed help, they could reach them. Darasing did the same, and many people were sharing the issues with him. It was a huge task to solve issues being faced by everyone, and then he connected with doctors and started the Pause Breathe Talk Foundation.