Nanditha Komirisetty - Psychiatry

 Psychiatry plays a vital role in mental health conditions, yet access to care remains dangerously uneven across the globe. In low-income countries, access to psychiatric care is scant. Malawi, an African country, exemplifies this problem as the country of 21 million only has 4 psychiatrists and a handful of other mental health professionals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 71% of people with psychosis worldwide receive no mental health care—an alarming disparity, especially when 70% of those in high-income nations do receive treatment. 



Despite the rising demand for mental health services, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries of the WHO still fall short of their investment targets. Studies show that depression and anxiety rose by 25% globally during the pandemic, but only 51% of countries reported having mental health plans aligned with human rights standards. 


Stigma also plays a leading role in the upcoming global problems of psychiatry. Studies indicate over 50% of people with mental illnesses don't report symptoms due to stigma and fear of discrimination, with many worried that acknowledging mental health issues could warp the way people view them. Media portrayals, such as Jack Nicholson’s character in The Shining, often perpetuate harmful stereotypes—depicting those with mental illness as violent or unstable—which reinforces public and self-stigma. 




 

Addressing the global mental health crisis requires increased funding, broader access, and a cultural shift toward acceptance. Reducing stigma through education and responsible media representation is just as crucial as investing in mental health infrastructure. 




Works Cited

https://globalhealth.unc.edu/2024/04/a-path-for-scaling-mental-health-treatment-in-low-income-countries-results-from-the-sharp-trial/#:~:text=The%20World%20Health%20Organization%20estimates,of%20other%20mental%20health%20professionals.

https://www.who.int/news/item/17-06-2022-who-highlights-urgent-need-to-transform-mental-health-and-mental-health-care#:~:text=Social%20and%20economic%20inequalities%2C%20public,care%20in%20low%2Dincome%20countries.

https://www.who.int/news/item/08-10-2021-who-report-highlights-global-shortfall-in-investment-in-mental-health

https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/education/why-is-mental-health-important#:~:text=Dr.-,Eric%20Jett,your%20educational%20and%20personal%20goals.

https://medium.com/illumination/deciphering-psychological-disorders-in-the-shining-jack-torrances-struggle-with-schizophrenia-efc991cbf6f6#id_token=eyJhbGciOiJSUzI1NiIsImtpZCI6ImYxMDMzODYwNzE2ZTNhMmFhYjM4MGYwMGRiZTM5YTcxMTQ4NDZiYTEiLCJ0eXAiOiJKV1QifQ.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.aBhwWTlPoss6i_Nl9eT3Okm5h2jnt9LBI9e5RGchDKeOAQEUUFWGB6cKud7DyFJ13JT4xd-JWdiCQzNzSkEu0TYRURyyKgFQRpG6GGKFNLv4701HNwuoaS1yGc59wWx0c_MeqobTHt9HMUpVrK683FlVflBKVgZFBltV9bmi6Pv9HkRqiuIg5vlw4umfHmytaD8CH7q89iS01n1dxAVKE14b8tNiwzDxh37oqAdjPAABiuMooAhsE7Y9zOgE-08_ommdrrn5YXOxP6MaxaD10d2K0PNOLU_k35-8LxyzElsXiQR5VG4_F0uwJtHDQUqOfhTyiztRnHBJZY3jtMhY8A

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination


Meet the Author!

Nanditha Komirisetty is a 15 year-old, incoming Sophomore at her local high school, and loves science, reading, the color green, and exploring new ideas. She’s especially fascinated by the human brain, and passionate about learning why people act the way they do, how professionals can treat mental illnesses, and how they form. In the future, she wants to study psychiatry and become a child/adolescent psychiatrist. She also has her sights set on anesthesiology, but being a psychiatrist is what she is aiming for. You can find her reading, listening to music, and knitting on a normal day.

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