We can look at the problem of mental disorders from two different angles. The simple way is to look at it in terms of numbers, that 450 million people in the world are suffering from mental disorders. The risk of looking at the problem in purely statistical terms is that it would miss the implications of the problem in all its dimensions.

A more sophisticated and intelligent way of looking at the problem is to use the concept of DALYS - Disability Adjusted Life Years - a measure that combines the premature mortality due to a disorder with the disabilities that are a result of that disorder. People die due to diseases but they also suffer disability because of the diseases. If we look at mental disorders from the perspective of the burden they represent in terms of years of disability they cause, it will change our perception of mental disorders. The burden of mental disorders is more than 12 per cent of the global burden of all diseases. We can expect this to increase to 15 per cent in 2020. Today, depression ranks fourth among all disabilities; it will rank will go up to second in 2020.

Mental disorders not only cause suffering but they prevent people from being productive. The public health alarm of mental disorders represents one of the major burdens for communities and nations. No constructive development is possible without mental health. The most important cause of mandays lost due to illnesses in the industrialised countries is depression.

The problem of mental health is extremely enormous. Worldwide, about 140 million people suffer from depression; 24 million people suffer from schizophrenia; and, every year 20 million people attempt suicide, of which one million actually kill themselves (Stats from WHO). Beyond these figures, alcohol creates problems not only for the drinkers themselves but also has implications for domestic violence, depression among women, which in turn, leads to mental health problems for children.

Sometimes, youngsters fall into the gap that may exist between programs for children and programs for adults. Child-focused programs often have differing eligibility requirements than programs for adults. The confusing differences in eligibility rules, or any of the difficulties, can be a major obstacle for youth with severe mental health needs, and can lead, at worst, to deterioration of mental health and to loss of employment and dropping out of school.

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