Impact of Covid 19 on Mental Health: Whether India is prepared to handle the crisis?

The COVID-19 is clearly having a major impact on mental health by affecting our day to day functioning with increasing unemployment, separating families and various other changes. There is a worldwide fear, depression and panic because of this pandemic. The frequently updating of the worst case scenarios by the media can fuel fear and worry. The uncertainty and Isolation can lead to difficulty in sleeping or concentrating. Therefore, the objective of this study is to address the several issues related to mental health because of COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, it also identifies high risk populations of adverse mental health outcomes. Finally, we discuss whether India, the second-largest populous country in the world and enormous cultural diversity, is prepared to face the challenges that may arise in future. The study concludes by stating that, there is a need for real-time monitoring of mental health issues, across the population at-risk groups and also the frontline workers including healthcare professionals. Marginalized sections of the society including the elderly, undocumented migrants, homeless persons and those with mental illness should be given priority and extra effort should be made to obstruct from their deteriorated mental health conditions due to this pandemic