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Sri Lanka has suffered four decades of violent conflict, a tsunami, terrorist attacks and an economic crisis, with unknown mental health consequences. People living with mental health difficulties may experience individual, interpersonal, social or structural barriers to help-seeking. These may include stigma, lack of knowledge, denial, fear of societal repercussions, language, acceptability/appropriateness of care, lack of family support, availability of medication, lack of transport and financial barriers.
Research has shown that 2.9% of Sri Lankans experienced a high amount of mental health difficulties during 2018–19. This increased to 6.1% in 2021–22.
Source: Deivanayagam TA, Ní Chobhthaigh S, Devakumar D, Patel K, Rannan-Eliya RP, SLHAS Collaborators. Mental health prevalence, healthcare use and access between 2018 and 2022 in Sri Lanka: an analysis of survey data. [published online ahead of print May 22 2024] Global Health Res 2024. https://doi.org/10.3310/HJWA5078
Mental Health in Sri Lanka
‘2023 Mental State of the Word Report’ by Sapien Labs, indicates that Sri Lanka ranks as the world’s second highest in Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) with a score of 89. The report has focused on one key trend, which is that the dramatic decline in mental wellbeing that occurred between 2019 and 2020 and continued into 2021 through the Covid-19 pandemic, continues to persist with no sign of recovery.
However, the accuracy of the report has been called into question, with the sample size and selection, cited as being far from representative of Sri Lanka’s demography, and grass root input.
According to The Morning article, ‘Mental health, all is not okay’, “Sri Lanka has a large vulnerable community, of varying age categories, who originate from different socio-economic environments, that are likely suffering or challenged by mental health issues. The reality is that we don’t know how big the mental health crisis in Sri Lanka has grown, or at what pace it is growing.“
The article also highlighted that the health system and governance does not give the issue the adequate funding and policy priority it needs.
Source: The Morning. (2024, March 14). Mental health, all is not okay. TheMorning.lk. https://www.themorning.lk/articles/wvoh3OJyPzxOEdhBb20I
The Issue: Stigma
In The Stigma of Mental Illness in Sri Lanka: The Perspectives of Community Mental Health Workers, the author explained that stigma is often associated with the family unit; there is strong faith in traditional beliefs and healers; and negative attitudes and behaviours exist regarding mental illness. Community mental health workers are influenced by poor health seeking behaviours and low prioritization of mental health services in the country.
Participants agreed that while communities generally behave negatively and have negative attitudes towards people with mental illnesses, in some cases, community members try to understand and sympathize with people suffering from mental illness. One participant felt that, despite a lack of understanding, Sri Lankan close knit communities look after the mentally ill, and that the varied religious culture help to care for people. The community takes people to temples, shares food, that whole system is very well established in this country. Nevertheless, participants also described how community members socially exclude people with mental illnesses; the main reason being that people with a mental illness are viewed as violent.
Source: Samarasekare, N., Millins-Davies, M. L., & Siribaddana, S. (2012). The stigma of mental illness in Sri Lanka: The perspectives of community mental health workers. Institute of Research and Development, Sri Lanka. Retrieved from https://www.imhlk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/The-Stigma-of-Mental-Illness-in-Sri-Lanka-The-Perspectives-of-Community-Mental-Health-Workers.pdf
