Spiritual lifestyle is useful for improving mental health – Health Minister Dr Gautam

Kathmandu. Health and Population Minister Dr. Sudha Gautam has said that since the risk of mental health is increasing recently, emphasis should be placed on spiritual lifestyle along with counseling to reduce it. In the two-day 'National Community Mental Health Conference' organized by the Tarangini Foundation in Kathmandu from today, she suggested that yoga and meditation should be emphasized in daily life along with the consultation of expert doctors.

Minister Dr. Gautam presented the statistics that seven thousand people commit suicide every year due to mental health problems and pointed out the need for the government, community and family to work together to reduce this.

"Stress, restlessness, loneliness and lack of a suitable environment to express their feelings, people's confidence is decreasing. When there is no confidence, there is a risk of taking any wrong step", she said, "therefore, everyone's role is indispensable to increase positive thinking. The government is trying to work through simple and easy service delivery through its subordinate agencies, hospitals, and policy reforms. Those who have other concerns also need to take this issue seriously."

Minister Dr. Gautam mentioned that after assuming the responsibilities of the ministry, she is working on managerial and policy reforms by prioritizing mental health. For that purpose, she informed that she is engaged in the work and reforms according to the health policy, counseling the workers in foreign countries through the psychological counseling support room in the subordinate health institutions, through the 'Telemedicine' service.