Time and tide waits for no man and none other than ‘gen–present’ and ‘gen-next’ can perfectly relate to this oft-quoted aphorism. As the ebb and flow of waters continue unabated, people are caught in a frenetic pace, as if there are no tomorrows. Living on the edge, seeking newer excitement propelled by desires of a ‘picture-postcard’ life is the present age magnificent obsession.

Today, ‘failure’ is unacceptable - a mute submission to the vagaries of competition and stress, throwing asunder the delicate balance between the mind and body. What happens next is anybody’s guess.

Indeed, this is boom time for mental health professionals and counselors, not to forget the ubiquitous god-men and style gurus, who are like the proverbial oasis in a desert.

Mental Health is National Wealth

Another, World Mental Health Day, Oct 10th, 2006, has arrived, embracing a novel theme:” Building Awareness: Reducing Risk of Mental Illness and Suicide”. Experts the World over will indeed be putting their heads together, finding solutions to some of the disturbing trends in mental health.

It is estimated that nearly one in ten, worldwide, are grappling with mental health problems, of which anxiety disorder has acquired a ‘household’ status. Recent figures show that nearly 54 million mentally ill Americans add up to the nation’s economic burden. If forecasts are to be believed, ‘chronic depression’ will have only ‘heart disease’ as a key contender for the numero-uno health ailment 2020.

Brain: A Hard Nut to Crack

Akin to assembling pieces of a jigsaw, scientists have tried to comprehend the many reasons for malfunctions in the brain that ignite a host of mental illnesses. After all mental illness knows no age, strata, society, color, creed or caste.

Five major categories of mental illness have been delineated. They are anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, dementias, and eating disorders, of which, by virtue of its occurrence, anxiety disorder happens to be most common.

Anxiety disorders are known to hamper a victim’s quality of life. People suffering such disorders are seen to be at their wits end, grappling panic attacks, or irrational fears, and sometimes even obsessive compulsive behavior. Mood disorder is another type of mental illness characterized by depression, manic depression or mood swings. Such patients may display extreme sadness or elation, and swings in activity and energy levels. One of the extreme consequences of mental illness may be the pronounced risk of suicide.

Cutting a Long Story Short

It is estimated that over one million people worldwide die as a result of suicide. In the past ten decades, suicides have out numbered homicides. Studies have shown that biological, genetic, psychological and cultural factors influence the risk of suicide in any individual. The underlying risk factors associated with suicide include serious mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse, childhood abuse, death of a loved one, financial loss, personal upheavals, despair, and despondency.

Undoubtedly, mental illness that is left untreated enhances the risk of suicide. Suicidal behaviors encompass a spectrum of tendencies ranging from suicidal attempts, gestures, threats and suicidal thoughts. Suicide is the result of extreme sadness and psychological distress relating to unfulfilled needs. The psychological pain a patient experiences is fuelled by a history of mental problems such as depression or anxiety. There is no perfect description of a person who is suicidal. Only a trained heathcare professional can spot the complex behavior and avert a tragedy.