In developing countries like India where population, poverty, economy, viruses and many such issues are considered as huge problems and concerns, “Mental Health” is often brushed away as something that does not need attention. However, this is time we take this more seriously than ever. Just as all other disorders or diseases, prevention is better than cure for this one too. Hence let us first acknowledge that this part of our health needs attention too.

Here are few reasons that justify why mental health is the next big concern:

1. Social conditions and lifestyle in the current day are much different than what has been the case few decades before today. We must understand that we no longer live in social conditions like our grand parents did. The lifestyle we follow is also entirely different. Accordingly, our emotional stability varies.
2. Uncertainty of what will happen tomorrow is the biggest cause of concern for us today Our jobs, income, and health are now more volatile than ever. In such trying times, it is nothing but natural to have anxiety. This mild anxiety, if not taken care for long time might lead to mental health disorders such as depression.
3. We lack medical facilities and awareness for mental health issues. Not just in our country, but throughout the world, other than therapy, most other medicines for mental illness have some side affect or the other. Most ailments are treated based on chemical composition of brain and the success rate for complete cure is not very high. This gives us a strong reason why we must detect it at the initial stages for the ease of treatment.
4. Symptoms of mental illness are not as evident as that of physical ailments. If you have flu or fever, it is easy to be detected at the early stage than detecting if a person has depression or need medical assistance for mental illness. This results in delay to begin the treatment at the first place.
5. Man is a social being. Restriction of movement, lockdowns, fear of pandemic are working in the opposite direction for mental growth during this pandemic. We are bound to feel lonely as we are meeting people lesser than ever. Staying indoors has not been the best thing that happened to us earlier but that is the safest thing to do right now. 
6. Last but not the least. Mental illness is not normalized in our society. More than 50% of people in India still think mental illness refers to that person being mad. This extreme thinking in turn is making people less vocal about their mental health issues and thus delaying the detection of it.

Now that we are convinced that emotional well being of a person and mental health is as important as physical health, what do we do about it? How can we prevent any such illness for us or for people around us?

1. Practise being gentle
2. Check on people who we care about, even if it is by a phone call
3. Be concerned about emotional needs of people
4. Be sensitive to situations around you
5. Seek help when you feel you need

Let us practice this and hope we shall get through tough times of our lives through awareness and support.