Mental health is becoming more visible for young Indians anxiety, depression, stress and emotional well being are talked about on social media as much as they do in everyday conversations. But awareness doesn’t necessarily mean more people are turning to mental health professionals for help.
At India Today’s HealthWealth Summit on October 29, 2026 mental health experts talked about the widening gap between public conversations about psychological well-being and actual help-seeking behaviour.
“People think that more people are coming to us because mental health is being discussed more openly but that’s not true,” said Dr Samir Parikh, Chairperson and Director of Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences at Fortis Healthcare. “It’s not like more people are coming because they’re talking about it.”
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He said that three quarters of people with mental health problems still don’t seek help. “The proportion of people coming to mental health professionals hasn’t increased much in the last 25 to 30 years,” he said.
Dr Manushree Gupta, President of the Delhi Psychiatric Society and Dr Sandeep Vohra psychiatrist & digital mental health entrepreneur also participated in the discussion.
Why Are Young Indians Experiencing Stress?
The experts talked about the emotional and psychological pressures young people are under today.
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“Stress is not a new thing,” Dr Parikh said. “People have been stressed throughout generations but circumstances and sources of pressure may change over time.”
Rather than dismissing young people’s worries or comparing them to those of previous generations he said we needed to help them learn the skills they need to cope with stress.
Social media has also changed how young people experience and evaluate their lives. Dr Vohra said that “used to be family would support you emotionally; they put difficult experiences in context”.
Today young people are constantly exposed to other people’s achievements, finances, lifestyles and personal milestones via social media. Constant comparison may affect how they see their own progress and success.
Dr Gupta said social media has made identity formation more public. Likes, comments and online approval can become measures by which young people evaluate themselves.
Why Social Media Discussions Do Not Always Reflect Reality
One of Parikh’s important insights was how social media algorithms shape people’s understanding of mental health trends.
If someone watches, shares or interacts with posts about depression, anxiety or emotional difficulties often enough social media platforms may show them more of that type of content.
As a result, users may start to feel like everyone around them is talking about mental health or getting professional help.
But this online visibility doesn’t necessarily mean what is happening across society.
Dr Parikh said don’t confuse what people are talking about in their social media environment with social reality. More discussion can increase awareness but it doesn’t remove the barriers that prevent people from accessing treatment.
Can AI help with mental health support?
The increasing use of artificial intelligence tools (ChatGPT and Gemini etc) for emotional support was another important topic at the summit.
AI chatbots are being used more and more by people to talk about their problems, understand what they are going through and seek advice. If someone is afraid to talk about their problem with another person these tools might be an accessible starting point.
Dr Gupta says however that AI systems can also reinforce inaccurate assumptions or lead people to make unsupported conclusions about their mental health.
Users may use chatbot responses to self-diagnose ADHD or narcissism/toxic behavior (without a professional evaluation). Or they might label their partners narcissistic or toxic without proper assessment.
The experts agreed that AI could help to ease the initial hesitancy in seeking support but it should not replace qualified mental health professionals, clinical assessments or treatment.
When Should Someone Seek Professional Mental Health Help?
Changes in a person’s everyday functioning are one of the things Dr Vohra says can be an important indication that help is needed.
These changes may affect different areas of life:
* health
* work
* family life and relationships
* leisure
- Personal functioning: Difficulties with daily tasks or keeping regular routines.
- Professional or academic life: A decrease in work or academic performance.
- Social relationships: withdrawing from friends, family members or social activities.
- Emotional well-being: Ongoing distress that begins to affect daily activities and relationships.
People don’t always recognise these changes themselves. Friends and family may see that someone is acting differently or struggling with responsibilities.
They stressed that help should be sought early rather than waiting until difficulties become more severe.
Affordability and Stigma Continue to Limit Access
Even when people know they need help, getting professional mental health care can still be difficult.
Social stigma, lack of awareness, money and access to qualified professionals can all play a part in whether someone seeks treatment.
Dr Gupta spoke about affordability of mental healthcare and gaps in insurance coverage. Better implementation of policies would ease financial burden on people seeking treatment.
Government hospitals and free mental health services can also be used if people cannot afford private consultations.
If you need help, the Government of India’s Tele-MANAS service is available on helpline number 14416. This service provides free mental health support round the clock (7 days a week) in multiple languages.
Building a Culture Where Seeking Help Is Normal
The conversation at HealthWealth Summit made this distinction clear: talking about mental health and actually getting treatment are two different things.
More visibility on social media can help people to see emotional difficulties and that mental health needs attention but awareness has to be backed up by accessible professional services, better mental health education and an environment where people feel comfortable asking for help.
For young Indians learning how to cope with stress, healthy relationships and when help is needed from professionals can be steps towards better psychological well-being.
The experts’ message was that progress should not be measured just by how often mental health is discussed — but also whether people have access to timely and appropriate care when they need it.
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