 Dr. Manorama Bakshi
Despite all our scientific progress, the greatest threat to global stability today is invisible, it is the slow, silent erosion of mental wellbeing. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly one billion people worldwide are living with a mental disorder, from anxiety to addiction to dementia. Mental illness now contributes to over 15% of global years lived with disability, cutting across rich and poor nations alike. Yet, mental health receives less than 1% of total global health aid.
The economic case for mental health investment is overwhelming. The Copenhagen Consensus Center’s latest analysis finds that every dollar invested in mental health yields a fourfold return in improved productivity and quality of life. In Australia, mental illness costs the economy over $200 billion annually — a figure mirrored in varying scales across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Depression, burnout, and post-traumatic stress are now as economically disruptive as heart disease or diabetes.
India’s Mental Health Moment
In India, mental health has moved from the shadows to the mainstream but only little. The 2024 NIMHANS report reveals that one in five Indians suffers from some form of mental health concern, and three out of four receive no treatment. Suicide remains the leading cause of death among young Indians aged 15–39, accounting for one in every four suicides globally. The Global Burden of Disease data shows that mental disorders are now among the top ten causes of disability in the country.
Despite these figures, India still has less than one psychiatrist per lakh population, and mental health spending remains below 2% of the total health budget. Out-of-pocket expenses, stigma, and lack of local counselling infrastructure continue to limit access — particularly for women, youth, and the elderly.
The COVID-19 pandemic further unmasked this crisis, exposing not just individual distress but the collective psychological strain of modern life: digital fatigue, social isolation, workplace burnout, and economic anxiety.
Peace as the Ultimate Public Health Investment
Mental health does not exist in isolation — it is deeply intertwined with the state of peace, justice, and social stability. The Copenhagen Consensus Center’s 2024 Peace Project estimates that sustained conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts can deliver economic returns of 16 to 1 by averting future wars, displacement, and trauma. Every dollar invested in peacebuilding, the study notes, can save up to US$ 16 in reconstruction, healthcare, and lost productivity costs.
Wars and conflicts are not only geopolitical tragedies — they are public health emergencies. The psychological toll of violence, forced migration, and uncertainty lingers for generations. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders soar during and after conflicts, straining fragile health systems. A peaceful society, therefore, is not just morally desirable; it is economically rational and socially stabilising.
From Awareness to Action: India’s Policy Imperative
India’s next frontier of health reform must place mental health and peacebuilding at the heart of governance and community life. The priorities are clear:
1. Integrate Mental Health into Primary Care
Expand mental health screening, counselling, and telepsychiatry through Ayushman Bharat’s Health and Wellness Centres. Mental health must be treated alongside diabetes, hypertension, and reproductive health in national programs.
2. Invest in Social Cohesion and Peace Infrastructure
Schools, workplaces, and communities should be trained to address stress, conflict, and mental health early — before they escalate into crises. Preventive peacebuilding, much like preventive healthcare, yields exponential social returns.
3. Build a Compassionate Economy
The future of productivity lies not in automation alone, but in emotionally resilient human capital. Governments and corporations must normalise conversations on stress, counselling, and emotional intelligence at work.
The Path Forward
Mental health and peace are two sides of the same coin — both invisible until they collapse. Together, they form the foundation of a society capable of empathy, innovation, and endurance.
As the world grapples with wars abroad and anxieties within, it is time to redefine progress. Investing in mental wellbeing and peacebuilding is not charity; it is smart economics. For every life healed, every conflict averted, and every mind restored, we move closer to a world that is not just surviving — but truly thriving.
Director & Head – Healthcare & Advocacy, Consocia Advisory | Founder, Triloki Raj Foundation | Visiting senior Fellow IMPRI |
