The genesis of blaming families impacted by mental illness in India

...through a tome which lay in the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India for several years . One could access this tome when one clicked on a link titled 'National Mental Health Programme'

The cover of the tome bore the title,‘Mental Health An Indian Perspective 1946-2003 ‘ by Directorate General of Health Services Ministry of Health and Family Welfare New Delhi.

This tome has a Chapter I ‘Mental Health 2003: The Indian Scene’

Beginning rather theatrically with a quote from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the seasons of light, it was the seasons of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,...’

This quote was followed by the writ,'It all began with a fire…’

Referring to the fire that broke out at a private centre, in a place called Erawady where several people with mental illness who were chained, were charred to death. The writers use the word ‘asylum' for a private centre as if the Indian Lunacy ACT 1912 was still in existence at the time of the fire when it was not.

One of the reasons stated by the writers for impacted families leaving their family members in the private centre at Erawady was that ‘stigma and superstitions associated with mental disorders coupled with unwillingness or inability of families to care for their mentally ill relatives appear to be the main contributory factors.’

What was left out (as if the writers were unaware) was that ‘Public mental health education’ was not taking place when it was one of the Plans of action in the National Mental Health Programme. 

For many in India, reading this chapter whilst giving supportive care to their loved ones with mental illness trying their best to keep despair out of their lives its ...a Chapter I ...of incredulous excuses. 


Reference:‘Mental Health An Indian Perspective 1946-2003'  by Directorate General of Health Services. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare New Delhi.