The most common mental illness symptoms are indigestion and lethargy, which go unnoticed’- reveals a survey conducted by LISSUN

• 40% of the respondents said that for patients their immediate friends are their first contact person in such a scenario
• More than 60% respondents shared that families are hesitant or opposed for their family member to take therapies/counseling due to lack of awareness, acceptance and stigma
• 62% of the respondents believe that childhood bullying, and child abuse victims are more likely to have anxiety/depression in adult life
• Half of respondents shared that the no. of mental illness cases increased by 40-60% post COVID-19
• 68% of respondents think that work from home has contributed to mental health issues
• Indigestion and constant lethargy are the most common missed symptoms sign of mental illness.
• 65% of respondents feel that women going through infertility treatment are likely to be affected by additional underlying challenge of mental health issues
• 70% of patients consult experts only when they are in an advanced stage.

LISSUN, an end-to-end solution for mental and emotional health, has surveyed around 500+ General Physicians, Psychiatrists, Gynecologists, Nephrologists, and Psychologists with the vision to identify and inform the general masses regarding the mental health scenario in India.

The respondents who majorly hail from medical and healthcare backgrounds shared their observations in the current scenario through their responses to the survey, which revealed some hidden facts. The survey reinstated that conversation regarding mental health remains a stigma and needs attention. Surprisingly, 40% of the respondents said that for people, their immediate friends are their first contact when they face a mental or emotional health issue. While only 20% of the respondents said that patients approached their family first when they encountered emotional or mental trouble. 43% of respondents expressed the concern that family usually is hesitant to help patients avail proper treatment or go for therapy.

While discussing one of the primary reasons for anxiety/depression, 62% of the respondents believe that childhood bullying and child abuse have a role to play in it. Furthermore, patients facing different physical challenges also experience underlying mental illness. As per 65% of respondents, patients with infertility issues are most likely to be susceptible to mental illness, followed by oncology with 60%, and nephrology with 55%.

The survey also highlighted the most common signs of mental health issues: indigestion, constant lethargy, and sometimes persistent body ache, which otherwise go undetected.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about mental health have grown, and the report also suggests the same. A whopping 50% of respondents express that there has been a significant 40-60% increase in the number of mental illnesses post Covid-19 pandemic. Also, 68% of respondents think that working from home has contributed to many mental health issues. However, the grave concern revealed through the study is that a staggering 70% of patients are at their advanced stage when they get their diagnosis done.

“The survey has brought the real picture of mental health in India. Our aim in conducting this survey is to draw the sincere attention of the people towards this critical issue, which unfortunately almost always has been neglected. The primary challenge is the awareness of people, where a person is unable to take the very first step. If that is addressed, then the war is 50% won”, says Mr. Krishna Veer Singh, Co-founder of LISSUN.

On a positive note, 42% of the respondents say that post-Covid-19, society is more open to the idea of taking psychological counseling. However, 38% of the respondents believe that the recent Tele-Mental Heath program initiated by the government would only benefit the urban population. The primary reason for this could be that in non-urban areas, the priority is awareness so that people step forward and avail of the service in need.

About LISSUN

Launched on August 15, 2021, Headquartered in Gurugram, LISSUN is an organization established to address the mental and emotional health issues in India comprehensively. They aim to achieve the same by solving for 6As of mental health: Awareness, Acceptance, Anonymity, Access, Affordability, and Assurance. Two industry veterans founded LISSUN, Dr. Krishna Veer Singh and Tarun Gupta, to provide individuals with the proper guidance, therapies, and solutions for their emotional and mental wellbeing in a world full of challenges. The platform offers end-to-end care for mental health by focusing on delivering preventive care to millions by productizing or augmenting psychotherapies, in-house quality therapists, access to user communities, and an extensive self-help library.