What do you imagine a psychiatric hospital looks like? Do images of the Joker locked up in Gotham City Asylum or people strapped to beds screaming in Hitchcockian horror pop into your head? Most people carry a less-than-pleasant idea of residential mental healthcare. These are places relegated purely for the treatment of ‘mad’ people. These are certainly not places to go to for insomnia, work stress, bad break-ups or that uncontrollable urge to snack on banana chips at midnight.

Poor demand leads to inadequate supply. India has one of the lowest numbers of mental health professionals and dedicated mental health hospitals in the world. Despite several studies indicating a growing need for mental health support, few still reach formalised healthcare providers for it. Part of the problem is simply a lack of awareness of how mental healthcare has evolved. A residential mental health hospital today looks more like a five-star hotel than the place we see depicted in every subsequent Batman film. And there are psychiatrists available today to address a gamut of mental health conditions from the trivial to the traumatic (although, regrettably, banana chip binges are yet to qualify as a doctor-level problem).

In this episode, Dr Navya Saluja, a psychiatrist with Sukoon Health, a pan-India chain of mental health hospitals, walks us through the reality of a modern psychiatric ward. From when to check in to what to check in for, what to expect as a patient or caregiver, and who decides whether you need to stay the night or simply visit the OPD, Dr Saluja lists out all that one needs to know before approaching mental health support.

Tune in to hear a psychiatrist play true or false on popular mental health beliefs and find out if your state of mind needs a visit to the doctor or simply a warm hug and a kind ear.

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound mix by Nitin Rawat