Non-communicable · High priority
Mental-health conditions and suicide prevention
Core disease facts with the linked government programme, prevention and treatment or cure reality.
TypeNon-infectious mental-health conditions with biological, psychological and social contributors.
Government programmes, schemes and services
- Programme: National Mental Health Programme and District Mental Health Programme: Bring prevention, outpatient care, counselling, medicines, referral, rehabilitation and awareness services into general and district health systems.
- Service: Tele-MANAS: Provides free 24-hour mental-health counselling and referral by calling 14416 or 1-800-891-4416; an immediate danger still requires emergency help.
- Service: Ayushman Arogya Mandir: Supports basic mental-health screening, first-line care, follow-up and referral close to the community.
Prevention
- Prevent: Early identification, stigma reduction, suicide-risk assessment, counselling, community care and helpline 14416
Treatment and cure reality
- Treat: Treatable and often controllable with psychological, social and medical care; “cure” varies by condition and relapse may occur.
Must remember
- Depression clues: Persistent low mood or loss of interest plus sleep/appetite, energy, concentration, guilt, psychomotor, or suicidal symptoms.
- Mania clues: Elevated/irritable mood, reduced need for sleep, pressured speech, grandiosity, distractibility, and risky activity.
- Psychosis clues: Delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thinking/behaviour; hallucination is a perception without an external stimulus.
- Delirium versus dementia: Delirium is acute, fluctuating, and marked by inattention; dementia is usually chronic and progressive with clear consciousness early.
- Suicide question: Ask directly about thoughts, plan, means, past attempt, and immediate safety; asking does not “put the idea” into a person’s mind.
- Immediate risk: Do not leave the person alone; remove accessible means, ensure urgent clinical assessment, and involve trusted support while respecting safety.
- National Mental Health Programme: Launched in 1982.
- District Mental Health Programme: Added in 1996, based on the Bellary model.
- Tele-MANAS: Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States; helplines 14416 and 1-800-891-4416.