The State of Mental Health in India
With mental disorders as the second most common cause of years lived with disability (YLDs) and suicide as the third most common cause of death in many states, India is experiencing a serious mental health crisis. According to national research, 15% of Indian adults have mental health problems that need to be treated, yet between 70 and 92 percent of them do not receive treatment, depriving millions of people of access to therapy. In India, more than 11 crore individuals still struggle with mental health issues, and 80% of them choose not to get treatment. Over 1 lakh people commit suicide every year, and many more make suicide attempts, highlighting the critical need for action.
The Campaign
BREAKING STIGMA ONE MILE AT A TIME is a campaign to:
– Raise awareness about mental health issues
– Encourage young people to seek professional help if they face mental health issues
– Foster a supportive environment for those affected by mental illness
The campaign was conceived by Seher Hashmi and has been joined by Dev Desai, a well-known social activist, Nazneen Shaikh, a self-taught singer, Samanyu Shukla, a filmmaker and Mehraj U Din, the driver.
Seher Hashmi’s Journey
Seher Hashmi is a motivational speaker and a fashion stylist. Seher Hashmi’s journey with mental health began in her teens, when she was diagnosed with clinical depression and borderline personality disorder. According to her first psychiatrist the childhood trauma, when she was relinquished at 9 months in an orphanage by her biological parents, left deep scars on her unconscious mind. One of the reasons of mental illnesses among others is childhood trauma.
For over a decade, she fought to reclaim her life, supported by psychiatrists, therapists, family, activists, and friends. However, Seher soon realized that she was one of the lucky ones. Many people in India suffer in silence, unable to access professional help due to the stigma surrounding mental illness. Determined to change this narrative, Seher began sharing her story through powerful videos and workshops. Her efforts have already made a significant impact. Seher has conducted workshops in colleges, schools, villages, and NGOs and has helped a number of mental health patients in times of distress.
The Journey Begins
On April 20, Seher and Dev Desai are embarking on a journey on Royal Enfield motorbikes from Delhi to Kupwara and back. Dev Desai, a well-known social activist. Dev has over 15 yrs of experience of working in the field as a grass roots activist. His engagement with mental health issues deepened during Covid when he reached out to over 90 psychiatrists, counsellors, therapists and helped organize free online counselling services Talk It Out for young people struggling with mental health issues.
The other three team members – Nazneen Shaikh, Samanyu Shukla – filmmaker and MehrajU Din, a BSC Medical graduate- will be traveling in a car. They will cover the following 21 cities and villages -Anantnag, Baramulla, Chandigarh, Delhi, Handwara, Hoshairpur, Jalandhar, Jammu, Kangra, Khumriyal, Kupwara, Ludhiana, Mukerian, Narwana, Ramban, Rohtak, Sogam, Sopore, Srinagar, Pattan, Wavoora and conducting 30 interactive sessions. During this campaign, they will be conducting sessions on mental health, interacting with students and young people in schools and colleges, men and women in village communities, and mental health facilities to fight the stigma around mental illness and encourage people facing mental health issues to access professional help.
The campaign was flagged off from New Delhi by Seher’s psychiatrists Dr Amit Sen and Dr Rajiv Mehta and her therapist Khilly Marwaha along Prof Mridula Mukherjee, Prof Aditya Mukherjee and Prof Apoorvanand. Over 100 well-wishers, friends and family members gathered to give the team their best wishes for the important journey and campaign.
The Team’s Mission
Seher, as a survivor of mental health issues, motivates people to fight the stigma. Dev Desai will be networking with local professionals and groups working on the issue. Nazneen Shaikh will be using her music skills to sing at every program and talk about the power of music in dealing with mental health issues. Samanyu is documenting the campaign and proposes to make a film on the campaign. The team will also be providing written material in the form of a folder about mental health and its various aspects, as well as a list of helplines that can be accessed by those in need.
Join the Movement
BREAKING STIGMA ONE MILE AT A TIME is a call to action to join the movement to break the stigma surrounding mental illness. Let us come together to create a supportive environment for those affected by mental illness and encourage those who need help to seek professional assistance.
Profiles of the Team
Seher Hashmi is a motivational speaker and a fashion stylist. Seher Hashmi’s journey with mental health began in her teens, when she was diagnosed with clinical depression and borderline personality disorder. For over a decade, she fought to reclaim her life, supported by psychiatrists, therapists, family, activists, and friends. However, Seher soon realized that she was one of the lucky ones. Many people in India suffer in silence, unable to access professional help due to the stigma surrounding mental illness. Determined to change this narrative, Seher began sharing her story through powerful videos and workshops. Her efforts have already made a significant impact. Seher has conducted workshops in colleges, schools, villages, and NGOs.
Dev Desai, a well-known social activist. Dev has over 15 yrs of experience of working in the field as a grass roots activist. His engagement with mental health issues deepened during Covid when he reached out to over 90 psychiatrists, counsellors, therapists and helped organize free online counselling services Talk It Out for young people struggling with mental health issues. The initiative had a team of 140 members, of which 100 were trained and consulting psychologists. They received calls from more than 300 people, in which 40 people called from all over India, four calls came from Indians living abroad and the rest came from different parts of Gujarat. Most of the people used to call for questions and advice around mental health and volunteers used to arrange online sessions for them with psychologists and counsellors according to their problems.
Samanyu Shukla is a practitioner of art who has been honing his craft as a visual storyteller for a decade. From a young age, his keen eye and creative spirit have allowed him to capture and curate stories that resonate with the soul. Samanyu has dedicated himself to creating visuals that ignite profound thoughts and evoke powerful emotions. Primarily known for his prowess as a filmmaker and photographer, Samanyu’s creative journey has found a focal point in the captivating world of narrative documentaries. Through his lens, he weaves compelling tales that not only inform but also touch the core of human experiences. Beyond his remarkable artistic endeavours, Samanyu extends his influence as an educator. He has derived workshops on visual storytelling across various corners of the country, inspiring students to harness the power of visuals to convey stories that resonate.
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Nazneen Shaikh is a self-taught singer and an organiser. She has experience in coordinating campaigns and programs. Her soothing and melodious voice helps in supporting mental health and well-being by reducing anxiety and stress levels. Music can evoke memories and emotions. Listening to music can be particularly beneficial for individuals who have experienced trauma, providing a safe and creative outlet for expression and healing.
Mehraj U Din is BSC in Science. He runs a bakery and offered to join the team and drive them Delhi to Kupwara and back. He lives in Khumriyal, Kupwara.
