Reach out to the experts
8 years, 5 months ago

Reach out to the experts

The Hindu  

In a world where cut-throat competition is the order of the day and marks play a vital role in shaping students’ future, it is no secret that Indian youth face mounting pressure to excel in academics and secure a notable position in a respectable field. Tamasaa Ramanujam, a former high school student, explains that examination stress and the pressure to achieve is likely to be one of the leading causes of mental health issues amongst teens. Moreover, the counsellors at Tamasaa’s school did not have a list of mental health experts to contact, in case children needed professional help. “Normally, if the student meets outside experts, they won’t take them unless the school refers them…otherwise parents’ consent must be given,” says the principal of a K-12 institution. “As an independent school, we don’t have any such programmes, because we are under the government.” A teacher at the same school adds that the government sends its own representatives to educate the school’s students about a myriad topics such as AIDS awareness, life skills, and stress management — but the teacher did not mention depression or suicide.

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History of this topic

IIT B’bay students demand reforms in mental wellness centre
3 days, 6 hours ago

IIT B’bay students demand reforms in mental wellness centre

Hindustan Times  

MUMBAI: IIT Bombay students have expressed only average satisfaction with the institute’s Student Wellness Centre, a body that offers mental health support, including counselling and workshops, to students. According to a recent survey conducted by ‘Insight’, the institute’s official student media body, the survey, which gathered responses from 124 students, revealed that only 35% of them found the service satisfactory. …

Women's mental health a ticking time-bomb in India: How to defuse crisis
1 week, 2 days ago

Women's mental health a ticking time-bomb in India: How to defuse crisis

India Today  

An alarming women’s mental health crisis is staring India and the world in the face. Despite such disturbing figures, stigma and societal taboos continue to keep scores of Indian women with mental health issues from seeking professional help. ‘Unveiling the Silent Struggle’, a report by Mpower, a mental health social enterprise of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, has found that …

K.R. Mangalam World School Empowers Students by Integrating Mental Health Education in Delhi NCR
2 weeks, 1 day ago

K.R. Mangalam World School Empowers Students by Integrating Mental Health Education in Delhi NCR

ABP News  

New Delhi, March 12: In an era where student stress, anxiety, and emotional challenges are rising, schools in Delhi NCR are increasingly recognizing the importance of integrating mental health education into their curriculum. Mangalam World Schools in North India has recently taken a step in this direction by incorporating India’s First Mental Health Education Curriculum, developed by The Mind Sync. …

AP launches first mental health initiative in schools
3 weeks, 1 day ago

AP launches first mental health initiative in schools

New Indian Express  

VIJAYAWADA: The State government has become the first in India to introduce Career and mental Health Counsellors in government schools. The initiative aims to provide essential mental health support and career guidance to students, addressing a critical gap in the education system. Speaking to TNIE, B Srinivasa Rao, the State project director of Samagra Shiksha in the State, explained the …

Vulnerable students and India’s need for an inclusive academic system
1 month, 1 week ago

Vulnerable students and India’s need for an inclusive academic system

The Hindu  

Students invest immense efforts in securing admission to premier educational institutions. A victim’s mother once said, “I gave him an IIT dream.” Despite various preventive measures, students ending their lives is a tragic loss. In 2023, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, called for a humanitarian approach, urging “all stakeholders to help students beat negative thinking and take study pressure …

India needs to invest more in mental health
1 month, 2 weeks ago

India needs to invest more in mental health

New Indian Express  

Mental ill-health is increasing globally, and India is no exception. The need of the hour for India is to invest in mental health manpower, services and research, to protect its tomorrow, said Dr Koushik Sinha Deb, additional professor, department of psychiatry, AIIMS. In an interview with Kavita Bajeli-Datt, he says people, especially in cities, nowadays are more open about discussing …

CBSE to conduct student mental health and well-being workshop, check date, time, venue, registration link
1 month, 3 weeks ago

CBSE to conduct student mental health and well-being workshop, check date, time, venue, registration link

India TV News  

The Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct a workshop on February 12 on student mental health and well-being. Student Mental Health Workshop: Date, Schedule, time Notably, Participation will be limited and based on a first-come, first-served basis. ''To strengthen these critical skills, CBSE is organizing an Offline “Workshop on Promoting Student Mental Health and Well-Being” for Principals/ Counselors / …

'The Sane Psychopath' book review: Focuses why Indians are so averse to talking about mental health issues
1 month, 3 weeks ago

'The Sane Psychopath' book review: Focuses why Indians are so averse to talking about mental health issues

New Indian Express  

When public bus driver Shankar Lande goes on a killing spree in Pune, many are critically injured and killed as he is captured alive and taken into custody. Based on a true incident, Salil Desai’s book The Sane Psychopath brings to focus why Indians are so averse to talking about issues of mental health. The World Health Organisation’s definition of …

ThinkEdu 2025: Integrate mental health awareness into medical education, say experts
2 months ago

ThinkEdu 2025: Integrate mental health awareness into medical education, say experts

New Indian Express  

CHENNAI: The 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 spotlighted an issue that is often overlooked but deeply pervasive: India’s mental health crisis. Two eminent psychiatrists, Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS, and Dr Koushik Sinha Deb, Additional Professor of Psychiatry at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, dissected the layers of this growing concern and proposed solutions in …

Seminar in Vijayawada addresses critical challenges in modern education
2 months ago

Seminar in Vijayawada addresses critical challenges in modern education

The Hindu  

The responsibility of educators is not just to impart knowledge but also to nurture responsible, ethical, and empathetic individuals who will contribute positively to society, said Bishop of Nellore Rev. He was speaking during the concluding session of a two-day seminar titled ‘Leading People into the Challenging Modern World of Education’ at the Andhra Loyola College on Saturday. The seminar …

How to find the right mental health therapist
3 months, 2 weeks ago

How to find the right mental health therapist

India Today  

I was in my early twenties when I went through severe anxiety because of entrepreneurial workload. How to find the right support Finding the right professionals and help is subjective in mental health, and not as straightforward as seeing a doctor for a physical concern. There are various professionals, such as counselling psychologists who use talk therapy to help or …

Bridging the Gap in Mental Healthcare: A Call for Philanthropic Investment
5 months, 1 week ago

Bridging the Gap in Mental Healthcare: A Call for Philanthropic Investment

Live Mint  

Philanthropists can play a crucial role in bridging the gap in access to mental healthcare in India by supporting grassroots initiatives and community-driven programs. However, it is essential to shift focus from short-term interventions to long-term systemic and structural change. By investing in peer support networks, community-based interventions, and integrating mental healthcare into primary healthcare systems, philanthropists can make a …

Health Matters Newsletter: An Olympian feat to address mental health issues
7 months, 3 weeks ago

Health Matters Newsletter: An Olympian feat to address mental health issues

The Hindu  

It’s Olympic season, and India already has cause to rejoice, with Manu Bhaker’s bronze in the 10-metre air pistol event. In India, the National Mental Health Survey 2015-16, found that 10.6% of adults suffered from mental disorders, but the treatment gap ranged between a staggering 70% and 92% for different disorders. This year’s Economic Survey 2023-24, released ahead of the …

China aims to promote student mental health via educational campaign
10 months, 2 weeks ago

China aims to promote student mental health via educational campaign

China Daily  

BEIJING -- China has launched a nationwide campaign to promote awareness and education concerning the mental health of students. The circular requires local education authorities to organize tailored mental health education and guidance initiatives for children and students at different stages of education. Special attention should be paid to the mental health of left-behind children in rural areas whose parents …

Is there a mental health crisis among students in India? | In Focus podcast
1 year ago

Is there a mental health crisis among students in India? | In Focus podcast

The Hindu  

It’s that time of the year again, when exams are looming, and students are stressed. Most students in India write a number of exams -- from the final boards at schools to the multiple competitive tests that are attempted to try and get a seat at coveted medical or engineering colleges. The process is so difficult – lakhs of students …

Mental Health in India | How does India tackle mental health issues among school children?
1 year, 5 months ago

Mental Health in India | How does India tackle mental health issues among school children?

The Hindu  

As per the National Mental Health Survey conducted in 2015-16, the prevalence of mental disorders among children between ages 13-17 was 7.3% in both genders. As per a report from United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, any mental health programme in schools must include five pillars of support — an enabling learning environment, access to early intervention and mental health …

How accessible and affordable is mental healthcare in India
1 year, 5 months ago

How accessible and affordable is mental healthcare in India

The Hindu  

The story so far: Mental disorders are a major cause of disability worldwide, largely due to insufficient understanding, pervasive ignorance, and social stigma. Noting the increasing burden, a recent Standing Committee report tabled in Parliament highlighted that the high treatment gap for most illnesses was due to a lack of mental health professionals, poor infrastructure and stigma. The policy landscape …

India’s mental-health problem is obscured by stigma, dearth of data
1 year, 5 months ago

India’s mental-health problem is obscured by stigma, dearth of data

Live Mint  

The past decade has reshaped our perspective on diseases. Despite one in every seven Indians suffering from mental disorders, with onset seen as early as age 14, the discourse around mental health is insufficient. School-level interventions have had tremendous success in India and worldwide, which is why introducing channels that help children learn about the delicate subject of their mental …

Academia Needs to Play Stronger Role in Raising Mental Health Awareness in India - News18
1 year, 5 months ago

Academia Needs to Play Stronger Role in Raising Mental Health Awareness in India - News18

News 18  

In the contemporary world, mental health is a subject that is often discussed and verily being talked about regardless of age and gender. Educational institutions can also inform and engage the staff, parents, and students about the value of mental health by organising workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns. This also raises the urgent demand for establishing clear rules and policies …

World Mental Health Day | How does India address the burden of mental disorders?
1 year, 5 months ago

World Mental Health Day | How does India address the burden of mental disorders?

The Hindu  

The story so far: August marked the 41st anniversary of the National Mental Health Programme, a government initiative to address the burden of mental disorders. To achieve this objective, the Committee proposed to increase hospital beds and mental health institutions across the country, train human resources and establish a mental health department in the then-proposed All India Medical Institute. The …

Around one crore people suffer from severe mental health problems in India, says psychiatrist
1 year, 5 months ago

Around one crore people suffer from severe mental health problems in India, says psychiatrist

The Hindu  

Life will be smooth and balanced only when physical and mental health is in harmony. The disturbed mental health of humans leads to suicide, drug addiction, mobile habituation, abnormal behaviour and murders, according to M. Vijaya Gopal, a former Superintendent of the Government Hospital for Mental Care. At an awareness programme, organised at the Public Library here on Sunday, Dr. …

Good remedy now available for mental illness: AP official
1 year, 8 months ago

Good remedy now available for mental illness: AP official

Deccan Chronicle  

VIJAYAWADA: AP State Council of Higher Education chairman Prof. K.Hemachandra Reddy said many people are suffering from mental illnesses in the present mechanical world. Speaking after inaugurating the newly established India's Child and Guidance Clinic in Suryaraopet area of Vijayawada on Sunday, Hemachandra Reddy underlined that some students are suffering from mental problems due to societal reasons. Dr. YSR University …

Mental health workshop for men in city
1 year, 9 months ago

Mental health workshop for men in city

Hindustan Times  

Mumbai: Project Mumbai, a non-profit organisation is celebrating June and July as Men’s mental health month to raise awareness about the risks of ignoring mental health issues and the stigma around it. Mental health workshop for men in city Statistics from the National Health Interview Survey shows that 9% of the male population in India experience daily symptoms of depression …

Why many Indians are reluctant to trust mental health advice
1 year, 9 months ago

Why many Indians are reluctant to trust mental health advice

The Hindu  

Published : Jun 01, 2023 15:54 IST - 5 MINS READ A student based in Mumbai sought therapy after coming out to her family as a lesbian. This is quite dangerous to the mental health of so many individuals, especially those coming from traditional or restrictive families.” Same-sex marriage debate in India As India’s top court debates same-sex marriage, the …

Mental health is a serious issue in rural India
1 year, 9 months ago

Mental health is a serious issue in rural India

Live Mint  

Last week, the internet schooled actor Nawazuddin Siddique for calling depression “an urban concept”, and rather confidently stating that people in villages don’t get depressed. In October 2022, at an event former cricketer Kapil Dev said that he doesn’t understand “these American words, like ‘pressure’ and ‘depression.’” “It is misleading to say people in villages don’t have mental health issues. …

Safeguarding student mental health: Long-term strategy for schools, teachers, and parents
1 year, 11 months ago

Safeguarding student mental health: Long-term strategy for schools, teachers, and parents

India Today  

There are heightened discussions around the protection of the mental well-being of students especially now, in the heat of the exam season. Thus, instead of being centered on an event or two, dealing with mental health should be a lifelong, attitude management affair and as a key stakeholder, schools should play a fundamental role in fostering a healthy ecosystem for …

A culture of cohesion to save young lives on campuses
1 year, 11 months ago

A culture of cohesion to save young lives on campuses

The Hindu  

To read newspaper reports about young students ending their lives is disturbing. During the 2018-23 quinquennial, there were as many as 61 students fading away: in the Indian Institutes of Technology, or IITs, the National Institutes of Technology, or NITs and the Indian Institutes of Management. Most campus suicides are attributed to academic pressure, family circumstances, personal reasons, different kinds …

Mental Health: A glorified myth in India
2 years, 1 month ago

Mental Health: A glorified myth in India

India TV News  

Quitting is an option. According to a study in the Lancet Psychiatry, the average cost of mental health treatment in India can cost up to 30-40 per cent of an individual's monthly salary. According to a report by Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development, India is expected to suffer a loss of $1.03 trillion from 2012-2030. According …

Why mental health support should be integrated into education
2 years, 2 months ago

Why mental health support should be integrated into education

The Hindu  

January 01, 2023 03:22 pm | Updated 03:22 pm IST The path of higher education is critical in every student’s life, as it determines their future. According to UNICEF’s survey findings for 21 countries in The State of the World’s Children 2021 report, every one in seven youngsters between 15 and 24 years in India reported some form of poor …

India & Suicides: Can New Policy Address Mental Health Pandemic Among Youth?
2 years, 4 months ago

India & Suicides: Can New Policy Address Mental Health Pandemic Among Youth?

The Quint  

In Dialectical Behaviour Therapy under the Emotion Regulation module, we train clients to build a wise mind. The reasonable mind is motivated by reasoning and logic, the emotional mind is motivated by feelings and emotions, and the wise mind occupies a space in the center of the two. Psycho-education of teachers is important, for instance, a teacher learns that if …

Here's how schools can contribute to good mental health of kids
2 years, 5 months ago

Here's how schools can contribute to good mental health of kids

Hindustan Times  

To work on the prevention of mental health issues in young children, it is important to raise awareness about the problem and schools are one of the best places to start mental health awareness. Here's how schools can contribute to good mental health of kids In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Puja Kapoor, Paediatric Neurologist and Co-Founder of Continua …

Make Mental Health a Global Priority; What Action India Can Take at Policy & Social Levels
2 years, 5 months ago

Make Mental Health a Global Priority; What Action India Can Take at Policy & Social Levels

News 18  

Across continents, every year, October 10 is observed as World Mental Health Day, with the goal to raise awareness about mental health and illness. This year’s theme for mental health, announced by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘Make mental health for all a global priority’. The first element is perhaps that of ‘priority.’ There is an urgent need …

How to create a community-based approach to mental health
2 years, 10 months ago

How to create a community-based approach to mental health

Live Mint  

BecauseYOU, a mental-health platform, was founded in September 2020, when two friends, Daniel Lobo and Harmik Wilkho, came together to solve their own mental health and personal challenges. Intending to be a sustainable, global mental health business that creates deep impact, the focus is to create world-class programs in well-facilitated groups designed by practitioners with different approaches to mental health. …

Impact of Covid- 19 on mental health of children and adolescents
2 years, 10 months ago

Impact of Covid- 19 on mental health of children and adolescents

Hindustan Times  

Mental health is as important as physical health in achieving one’s developmental milestones. This complex array of challenges has led to grief, fear, anxiety, depression and parental fatigue, in turn, negatively affecting the mental health of children and adolescents. According to UNICEF, more than 330 million youngsters have stayed indoors for more than nine months causing debilitating effects on the …

Look Beyond AIIMS and NIMHANS to Start a Mental Health Revolution in India
3 years, 1 month ago

Look Beyond AIIMS and NIMHANS to Start a Mental Health Revolution in India

News 18  

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2022 has thrown a delightful surprise by announcing 23 tele mental health centres, with National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences as the nodal centre and International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore offering tech support. Beware of Over-medicalisation As NIMHANS director Dr Pratima Murthy recently shared in an interview, “This programme will be useful …

India’s great medical challenge: Talking about mental health
3 years, 2 months ago

India’s great medical challenge: Talking about mental health

Live Mint  

Infections and diseases are commonly and incorrectly associated only with physical illnesses. Before the pandemic, the national mental health survey 2015-16 had found that 12% of India’s population has some form of mental health issues. Increased needs In 2021, the hospitals and healthcare providers across India have reported an increased number of people seeking consultation and requiring admission-based treatment for …

'Education, Communication, Conversation': This 26-Yr-Old is Changing Mental Health Space in Urban India
3 years, 5 months ago

'Education, Communication, Conversation': This 26-Yr-Old is Changing Mental Health Space in Urban India

News 18  

Millennials as a generation have always been known for welcoming cultural and societal changes, in layman’s language the “woke” generation. While today’s sedulous youth is busy carving their ways out in bustling cities and occupied lives, caring for their mental health was pushed on the back burner until the alarming Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. There comes a moment in …

Reopening Tamil Nadu schools, colleges to focus on students' mental health
3 years, 6 months ago

Reopening Tamil Nadu schools, colleges to focus on students' mental health

India TV News  

With schools for higher classes and colleges reopening in Tamil Nadu from September 1, the main focus will be on the emotional and mental health of the students as also the teaching and non-teaching staff, say experts Students have not attended physical classes for a long time, except for two months till the second wave of the pandemic struck earlier …

Has the mental health landscape changed in India?
3 years, 9 months ago

Has the mental health landscape changed in India?

Live Mint  

In 2003, when I was doing my master’s in psychology, we had to prepare a case file with the case histories of 10 clients, along with a possible diagnosis. When I was telling a close friend, who was doing his master’s in physics, about this, he asked, “Tell me, is the identity of these clients just their diagnosis?” In that …

Mental health awareness through education is crucial for rural spaces
3 years, 11 months ago

Mental health awareness through education is crucial for rural spaces

India Today  

According to a study published by The Lancet Psychiatry in 2019, 197.3 million people in India had mental disorders in 2017, of which 45.7 million people had depressive disorders and 44.9 million people had anxiety disorders. The concerning part is that while 20 per cent of the country’s population suffers from some sort of mental health problem, only 12 per …

HT Dialogues: Ways to prepare students mentally for the reopening of schools
4 years ago

HT Dialogues: Ways to prepare students mentally for the reopening of schools

Hindustan Times  

Sensitisation and gratitude journals, mindfulness and strong monitoring systems were among suggestions made by experts at the HT Dialogues session on Thursday which focused on getting students mentally ready for the reopening of schools. Clociwise from top left, HT health editor Rhythma Kaul, Priyanka Bhatkoti, Rajesh Banopreeya, Sakshi Saddi, Deepali Singh Solanki and Dr Rajesh Sagar who participated in the …

Men, students made up majority of callers to India's first mental health helpline: Report
4 years, 1 month ago

Men, students made up majority of callers to India's first mental health helpline: Report

Firstpost  

Around 75 percent of callers were people between ages 15 and 40, and around 18 percent were from people between ages 41 and 60. An internal report from the SJE found that between 16 September 2020 and 15 January 2021, around 13,550 calls were made, of which more than 70 percent of callers were men and 29.5 percent were women. …

'India Most Depressed Country In The World': Madras High Court Seeks Response From Central Authorities Over Mental Health Facilities
4 years, 3 months ago

'India Most Depressed Country In The World': Madras High Court Seeks Response From Central Authorities Over Mental Health Facilities

Live Law  

Taking note of the "inadequate treatment facilities" for mental health patients, the Madras High Court on Friday called upon the Central health authorities to answer the specific queries raised by the Court on this issue. Thus, while suggesting medical health reforms, including establishment of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in all zones of the Country, the Bench …

Andhra Pradesh Govt to focus on mental health of students
4 years, 4 months ago

Andhra Pradesh Govt to focus on mental health of students

India Today  

Covid-19 has left some psychological footprints on the minds of people during the period of lockdown. Andhra Pradesh educational institutions are working on the mental health of the students. The state government has decided to help students deal with their psychological issues around a thick pessimistic cloud formed due to financial, career problems. The Higher Education department has asked all …

Random Forays: Mental health should be a focus area
4 years, 5 months ago

Random Forays: Mental health should be a focus area

Hindustan Times  

As long as our lives progress without too many hiccups along the winding pathways that, because we’re living on this earth, naturally present themselves before us, we ignore certain things. Mental illness is a real and potent foe which is not only rearing its head in present times, but has been presenting dangerous or at least uncomfortable life situations to …

Boosting India’s mental health care apparatus
4 years, 5 months ago

Boosting India’s mental health care apparatus

Hindustan Times  

Mental health has had its Cinderella moment this year. Access to mental health services for all has to become a reality, we have to rethink the current traditional definition of mental health human resources and revamp the methodology for developing these Many myths about mental health remain in our collective thinking — those who face mental health problems are weak; …

The Politics of Mental Health and What We Often Ignore
4 years, 5 months ago

The Politics of Mental Health and What We Often Ignore

News 18  

When I think of well-being, I don’t think of it as something that is purely psychological or for that matter, individual. Mental Health is Tied to Structural Systems and Policies The Indian social fabric is built on the caste system. Barriers to accessing well-being resources Apart from structural issues, there are other major factors that make seeking mental healthcare and …

India didn’t prioritize mental health before Covid-19. Now it’s paying the price
4 years, 6 months ago

India didn’t prioritize mental health before Covid-19. Now it’s paying the price

CNN  

New Delhi CNN — “My heartbeats are heavy. None of India’s 22 languages have words that mean “mental health” or “depression.” “People think that talking about your feelings makes you weak – there are a lot of misconceptions.”Baldev Singh, volunteer counselor While there are terms for sadness, grief or devastation in Urdu and other Indian languages, the specific terminology to …

DTU is offering online counseling sessions to students during lockdown
4 years, 9 months ago

DTU is offering online counseling sessions to students during lockdown

India Today  

The year 2020 sure has brought many tragedies with it and one heart-wrenching news to hit the limelight amidst many earthquakes, possible war, the spread of Covid-19 is popular actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s bodily demise. After the death of Sushant Singh Rajput by suicide grabbed the attention of many people, netizens started to talk more about mental health problems. Educational …

Mental health initiatives to be introduced in Jammu schools ahead of coronavirus lockdown 5.0
4 years, 9 months ago

Mental health initiatives to be introduced in Jammu schools ahead of coronavirus lockdown 5.0

India Today  

Due to the coronavirus crisis, students across the country are facing emotional turmoil, and institutions are trying their bit for their mental well-being. The Directorate has formed a task force consisting of over 100 psychologists/teachers who will soon organise online counselling sessions for the school students to address their mental health issues. Plan of action shared by Directorate of School …

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