Hyderabad declaration on collaboration for global mental health: From illness to wellness

ABSTRACT

On the occasion of the Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society 2025 (ANCIPS 2025), which was held from January 22 to January 25, 2025 with the Theme: “Neurobiology of Illness to Wellness,” the organizing committee has prepared the “Hyderabad Declaration on Collaboration for Global Mental Health: From Illness to Wellness.” The draft for this declaration has been prepared in consensus with the world leaders of various psychiatric associations belonging to India (IPS), America (APA), Canada (ICPA), and Britain (BIPA). This declaration consists of various key principles. These key principles are made highlighting the shift of the paradigm from illness to wellness, need to empower the health care fraternities, integrating the physical health with mental health, and need for increasing the sensitization and access to mental health and decreasing the stigma on mental health, thus motivating the health fraternities to have a collaborative approach to empower the community with special focus on vulnerable populations including youth and women.

Recognizing that the mental health is a fundamental component of overall wellbeing and a universal human right, the global community understood the growing burden of mental health challenges across populations and borders. The “Hyderabad Declaration on Collaboration for Global Mental Health: From Illness to Wellness” highlights the urgent need for a collective, inclusive, and proactive approach to address the disparities in mental health care by considering illness to wellness continuum, foster resilience, and promote holistic wellbeing. This was declared by the organizing committee of the Annual National Conference of Indian Psychiatric Society 2025 (ANCIPS 2025), which was held from January 22 to January 25, 2025, with the Theme: “Neurobiology of Illness to Wellness.” This draft was prepared with consensus in the world leaders’ meeting which was held on Saturday, January 25, 2025, in the board room of Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

Key Principles:

1. Paradigm Shift: From Illness to Wellness.

   Emphasize a transformative approach that shifts the focus from merely managing mental illness to actively creating and sustaining mental wellbeing. This paradigm shift aligns with the growing recognition that mental health is central to overall health, happiness, and increased quality of life.[1]

2. Integration with Physical Health.

   Highlight the critical link between psychological wellbeing and physical wellbeing, particularly cardio-metabolic health. Underscore the role of psychological wellbeing as a gateway to preventing and managing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading global contributors to illness burden, decreased quality of life, and mortality.[2]

3. Universal Access to Mental Health Services.

   Ensure equitable access to affordable, quality mental health care, support systems for all individuals, irrespective of socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity, or geography, sexual orientation, and age with a global perspective.[3]

4. Destigmatization and Awareness.

   Promote public awareness campaigns and education programs with wellness concept to combat stigma, myths, and misconceptions associated with mental health conditions.[4]

5. Sensitization and Collaboration within the Medical Fraternity.

   Foster closer collaboration with physicians and healthcare professionals to consider an illness to wellness continuum within the medical community, ensuring that mental health becomes an integral part of holistic mind–body health management.

6. Integrative and Holistic Approaches.

   Recognize the wealth of clinical and neurobiological evidence showing the salutary effects of traditional healthcare approaches like Yoga, Tai-Chi, Vipassana, Mindfulness, and Transcendental Meditation. Encourage the integration of traditional, complementary, and evidence-based practices to create person-centered care pathways that address biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of health.[5,6]

   Encourage and train people in self-help practices, including yoga, meditation, and adopting a healthy lifestyle.[2] These approaches, supported by strong lab and clinical evidence, promote health and resilience and are highly scalable and economical. Training can be incorporated into school and university education, workplaces, and community groups to actualize the goal of “health for all, all for health.”[7,8]

7. Health Economics of Mental Health.

   Economic research shows that investment in mental health generates a fourfold return in improved health and productivity, demonstrating that mental health is not only a moral imperative but also a societal and economic necessity. Insights from Dr. S. Chinoy (PhD, Stanford), Chief Economist at JP Morgan Asia, and Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, highlight that mental health investments not only reduce disability and burden but also significantly contribute to societal prosperity, with each dollar spent yielding a four-dollar return.[9]

8. Community Empowerment.

   Strengthen community-based mental health services by building capacity, training local health workers, and engaging civil society in planning and implementation.[10]

9. Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing.

   Foster global partnerships among Governments, academic institutions, private sectors, NGOs, and mental health professionals to exchange best practices, research, and innovative models of care.

10. Research and Innovation.

    Prioritize research in mental health to advance understanding of risk factors, preventive and promotive strategies, and treatment options, while leveraging technology for early diagnosis, intervention, and outreach. Listing of the national and international funding agencies promoting research and encouraging the researchers and funding agencies for research funds focusing on wellness.[11]

11. Youth and Vulnerable Populations.

    Focus on mental health, wellness promotion among youth, women, the elderly, and marginalized groups by addressing their unique challenges and vulnerabilities. Special emphasis should be placed on creating health during young adulthood as epidemiological evidence suggests its lasting value in maintaining health throughout adulthood.[12]

12. Policy and Advocacy.

    Encourage Governments and international organizations to adopt and implement policies that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those promoting healthy lives and wellbeing for all at all ages.[13]

13. Workplace Mental Health.

    Advocate for mental health-friendly workplaces by implementing policies that promote stress management, work–life balance, and supportive environments to enhance wellness and prevent illness.

14. Focus on Youth and Women’s Health.

    Highlight the importance of promoting mental health among youth and women as it directly impacts societal productivity and economic prosperity. Focusing on these groups is a key strategy for improving overall wellbeing and fostering societal advancement.[14]

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Nil.