An Analysis Of Mental Healthcare Act 2017 From The Perspective Of Establishing Mental Health
- IJLLR Journal
- Apr 15, 2023
- 1 min read
An Analysis Of Mental Healthcare Act 2017 From The Perspective Of Establishing Mental Health As A Human Right
Ravani Ukti Nayudu, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai
ABSTRACT
While every precious life lost through suicide is one too many, it represents only the tip of the mental health iceberg in the country... People experiencing severe mental health conditions are more likely to fall into poverty through loss of employment and increased health expenditure. Stigma and discrimination often further undermine their social support structures. Not surprisingly, countries with greater income inequalities and social polarisation have been found to have a higher prevalence of mental ill-health, reports the recent column of Indian express1 on Why we need to focus on Mental Health.
From the aforementioned, it can be inferred that severe mental disorders are not the only kind of mental health conditions. Such conditions also consider the impact of everyday scenarios that lead to heightened stress, causing other mental illnesses*. This points out the significance for looking at mental health in the context of human rights.
In this aspect, it becomes important to find out whether there are laws in India that address mental health. The recently enacted Mental Healthcare Act 20172 offers an explicating approach on this subject.
Through the perspective of UDHR3 articles 1, 3, 6 and 22 the paper will present the Act in the aforementioned context.
Keywords: Mental Health, Mental Health Condition, Mental Illness, Human Rights, Mental Healthcare Act 2017
