On today’s episode of Why This Now? by Re:Set, we delve into the brewing COVID-19 related mental health crisis in India.

To show us the bigger picture of India’s mental health landscape, the role of the government in mental health policy, and the impacts of COVID-19, we have Harvard psychiatrist, researcher and educator Dr. Vikram Patel. With her own experiences, journalist Anusha Sundar shares her story of losing her job, the strains of moving back in with your parents, and going through a pandemic with pre-existing mental health challenges. Human rights activist and lawyer Manjula Pradeep and Dalit queer activist, writer and curator Aroh Akunth show us the pandemic through the lens of the disproportionately affected marginilized communities.

Trigger warning: Please note, this episode has mentions of mental illness, suicide, and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know needs help, please know there are resources you can reach out to.

To see more of Re:Set’s work, visit resetyoureveryday.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

CREDITS:

Host: Aakanksha Tangri (Twitter & Instagram)

Writer: Akanksha Mishra

This is a Maed in India production.

Audio Engineer & Editor - Kartik Kulkarni

Producer - Mae Mariyam Thomas

Assistant Producer: Husein Haveliwala