❖ 970 million people around the world struggle with some kind of mental illness. ❖ 14.3% deaths worldwide, approximately million deaths each year, are attributable to mental disorders. ❖ Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15-29. This appalling data sends a chill down my spine. Mental health issues have been ever increasing and it is estimated that one in four people will be affected by amental health illness at some point in their lives. Mental health is a major concern all over the world and India does not show a rosy picture either. To add to this adversity, there is lack of health literacy, awareness and acceptance; there is stigma in help-seeking, especially in the Indian context. It is very important to understand that mental health is a state of mental fitness that enables us to handle the stresses of life, since it damages our emotional, psychological and social well- being. Dr. Brock Chrisholm, the first director general of the WHO, in 1954, had...