Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of mental health issues in India is increasing. The lack of knowledge about mental illnesses and negative beliefs about treatment usually lead to delayed treatment. Mental health literacy is a prerequisite for early recognition and intervention in mental disorders. AIMS: The study was undertaken with the aim to explore the awareness of mental health among the employees of the botanical gardens to address this massive issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two focus group discussions were carried out with five and ten members from two diverse groups of population respectively. RESULTS: The study highlights that the signs and symptoms of mental illness were not well recognized by the participants except few.The study also shows the presence of misconceptions among the sample regarding mental health and the role of mental health professionals. This indicates the need for mental health literacy among the community. CONCLUSION: The study shows that the knowledge of the employees of the botanical garden regarding mental health was limited. This limited knowledge may be a prominent cause of poor treatment turn up. Therefore a need of systematic sensitization program to increase mental health literacy is highlighted through the study.