Preventive strategies for common mental disorders

Common Mental Disoders (CMDs) include depressive and anxiety disorders; one in five individuals, worldwide, gets afflicted with CMDs over lifetime. A wide range of preventive strategies have shown promise when implemented across different stages of lifespan. There is a common thread of emerging preventive strategies for CMDs on the lines for those already established for non-communicable diseases. In India, although there is emerging research in this area, the much required prevention is still in its incipient stage. Some critical issues in planning research and implementing preventive strategies are also outlined to provide a more appropriate perspective