Back from the Other Side of the World

I'm back now from a wonderful month India and am adjusting to the cold midwest winter. Aside from enjoying my husband's side of the family and soaking in India's amazing culture, I was on the look-out for issues related to mental health while I was on the other side of the world. I'd heard that mental health & illness are not really talked about much in Indian culture; however, I saw a few things that make me think the information is out there. Perhaps it's just not a topic people talk about much. I did see some newspaper articles about suicides in Mumbai while I was there and, in response, some psychiatry med students making a group "no suicide" contract. I don't recall reading news articles in the USA that describe how a person died by suicide.

I wasn't sure what to expect with being in Mumbai so shortly after the 26/11 attacks. I thought I may read or hear something about people dealing with post-trauma responses. I was surprised that I did not. However, when visiting the Gateway of India, right next to the Taj Hotel, I saw this sign: 

The psych nurse in me just had to have a photo. I was tempted to call the number to inquire about how these services were being utilized. I remain curious...