The Silent Crisis Amidst the Crowd: Understanding the Current State of Mental Health in Indonesian Society
Imagine someone who appears perfectly fine every day in front of family and colleagues, yet silently harbours a crushing anxiety, struggles to sleep at night, and feels that no one truly understands them. They do not self-harm, nor do they cry in public. They simply struggle in silence. This image truly reflects the face of mental health for millions of Indonesians today.
Mental health is not merely about severe psychiatric disorders requiring hospitalisation. It encompasses the entire spectrum of psychological conditions that affect how people think, feel, and behave in daily life. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, this issue is still often sidelined, considered taboo, a sign of weak faith, or a luxury only relevant to certain circles. Yet the latest data tells a different story, and the reality is far more alarming than many imagine.
Numbers That Cannot Be Ignored
The 2021 National Mental Health Report published by the Health Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Health noted that the prevalence of mental emotional disorders in the adult Indonesian population remains at a worrying figure, with an estimated tens of millions of people affected. Furthermore, the report confirms that the treatment gap for mental health services in Indonesia is still above 90 per cent, meaning fewer than one in ten people who need help actually receive it.
The World Health Organization, in its World Mental Health Report released in 2022, stated that depression and anxiety are the two most common mental disorders globally, affecting a total of more than 970 million people. The report also stressed that health systems in many developing countries, including Indonesia, are not yet able to respond to this burden adequately. Global investment in mental health averages only two per cent of total health budgets, and in lower-middle-income countries, the figure is even lower.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this already critical situation. A survey conducted by Into The Light Indonesia in 2021 found that more than 65 per cent of respondents experienced increased stress levels during the pandemic, and most did not know where to seek help. Social isolation, economic uncertainty, and the loss of loved ones in a short period left psychological scars that cannot heal simply with the end of the pandemic status.
Stigma: The Greatest Invisible Enemy
One of the biggest obstacles in handling mental health in Indonesia is not merely limited facilities or cost, although both are problematic, but rather social stigma. In Indonesian society, which is steeped in collectivist values and communal judgement, a person who admits to experiencing a mental disorder is often met with negative assessments from their surroundings.
Research published in the Indonesian Journal of Clinical Psychology by Oktariani and Pratiwi in 2022 found that social stigma against mental disorders in urban Indonesian environments remains very high, even among the educated. Respondents in the study admitted they tended to maintain social distance from individuals known to have undergone psychiatric treatment, and most considered mental disorders as something shameful for the family. This finding shows that modernisation and educational advancement have not automatically changed society’s perspective on mental health.
The religious dimension also plays a role that needs to be examined proportionally. Some people still believe that psychological problems are purely spiritual matters, a lack of faith, or disturbances from supernatural beings. This view is not entirely wrong if placed in the right context, as spirituality does have a therapeutic effect recognised by science. However, if used as a substitute for the necessary medical and psychological help, this view can become a serious barrier to recovery.
Because of this deep-rooted stigma, many sufferers choose to remain silent. They bear the burden alone, delaying seeking professional help for years, even until their condition reaches a crisis point. Putri, Wibhawa, and Gutama, in their 2022 study, noted that one of the most consistent factors hindering post-pandemic mental health recovery in Indonesia is the public’s inability to acknowledge and accept their own psychological condition as a legitimate problem that needs to be addressed.
The Younger Generation and Compounded Pressures
When discussing the most vulnerable group, Indonesia’s younger generation deserves special attention. They are growing up in a hyper-connected digital era, yet paradoxically often feel lonelier than previous generations. Social media, which should be a bridge for communication, frequently turns into an exhausting arena of social comparison and a constant source of anxiety.
A student mental health survey conducted by the Indonesian Psychiatric Association (PDSKJI) in 2022 found that nearly 64 per cent of university students experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and around 62 per cent experienced significant anxiety. This figure should shock all stakeholders, from parents and educators to policymakers. We are talking not about a small minority, but the majority of the nation’s future generation who are struggling silently behind their academic achievements.
Yuniarti and Faturochman, in a study published in the UGM Journal of Psychology in 2024, examined the phenomenon of burnout among Indonesian students.