NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN INDIA

Today's Indian society is complex and tremendously influenced by globalization, technology, media and modern living. This has affected mental health situation and status of people. People at large face challenges to keep up positive mental health though may not reach the threshold of mental disorders. Mental health care and treatment certainly need more attention and investment but at the same time prevention and promotion of mental health as public health priority needs focus to avoid future mental health problems. WHO framework for mental health promotion is holistic and intersectorial involving all the settings of public or private life. It proposes social determinants approach to promote health and implies mental health education as an important tool to achieve the goal of ‘mental health for all'. This paper is to introduce and explain the concept of mental health education and its need in India. This concept is very useful for health systems and practitioners to collaborate with other non-health sectors which contribute in development, education and work life balance for mental health promotion.