ANKUR: When I Google “mental health” one of the first questions I see is: “Is mental health crisis a real thing?”
AMIT: For India, the answer is an unequivocal Yes. The statistics tell a powerful story –197 million Indians suffer from a mental health disorder, with about 90 million people battling anxiety and depression. And post-pandemic, there’s been a ~35% rise in affective disorders, only exacerbating the magnitude of the crisis.
A staggering 80% of these individuals are not receiving the treatment they need. And you can see the impact of untreated mental health conditions in the rates of people dying by suicide.
It isn’t that people are unwilling to seek help – often, they simply don’t have access to it. A mix of stigma, insufficient resources, high costs, and a severe shortage of professionals leaves millions without the support they need. For instance, with only about 9,000 psychiatrists across the country, the ratio stands at a staggering one psychiatrist for every 1,60,000 people, compared to the WHO recommendation of one per 10,000. The scarcity of clinical psychologists and social workers is even more severe in rural areas.
Take postpartum depression, for example. Approximately 19.2% of mothers in countries like India experience depression within three months postpartum. Yet, there are virtually no comprehensive public health programs to support women at this stage of their lives.
Similarly, autism spectrum disorders affect around 5.6 million people in India but early intervention and therapy options are often only accessible in a few large cities.
ANKUR: How aware are people about mental health?
AMIT: Over the past decade, mental health has slowly begun to carve out space in India’s public discourse. A study by Live Love Laugh Foundation in 2021 reported 96% of respondents are aware of at least one mental illness, as compared to 87% in 2018.
In urban pockets and among younger generations, conversations around mental health are becoming increasingly normalised, fuelled in large part by a boost in awareness post-COVID. The pandemic was a turning point – making the discourse around mental health more acceptable and open within families, organisations and teaching institutions, almost giving people social permission to talk about their mental health challenges.
It's at the same time that the Ministry of Health set up dedicated helplines and rolled out resources, and people started turning to the Mental Health Care Act of 2017 for its emphasis on patient rights and accessible care.
Celebrities and social media influencers have also become powerful agents of change. For instance, Deepika Padukone openly shared her battles with depression and anxiety, breaking down long-standing barriers of silence and inspiring others to seek help. Meanwhile, on Instagram and YouTube, influencers started addressing everything from the importance of therapy to simple strategies for managing everyday stressors, making these conversations more relatable and digestible.
But it’s still largely limited to English-speaking, digitally literate, and educated segments. For many in rural and semi-urban India, mental health remains a taboo subject, where conditions like depression or anxiety are often dismissed as moral or spiritual failings.
ANKUR: Is mental health a 21st century problem?
AMIT: Contrary to popular belief, mental health illnesses are not exclusive to the 21st century. In fact, rates of schizophrenia have been stable for decades. These concerns have always existed, but for much of history, they’ve remained shrouded in stigma, superstition, and silence.
We’re in a different place today. We now have the vocabulary and the tools to identify, diagnose, and discuss these conditions more openly – although this exists largely in English and we still don’t have vernacular words to describe these conditions.
21st century stressors like rapid urbanisation, breakdown of traditional family structures, hyper-competitive educational systems, increased workplace pressures and the explosion of technology and social media have amplified these problems hugely. Add to this the impact of COVID-19, and we see a surge in mental health conditions such as depressive and anxiety disorders.
So, while mental health has always been a concern, the 21st century has made it more visible — and arguably, more complex.
ANKUR: Can mental health be addressed at scale?
AMIT: Yes, definitely. The West offers several models that demonstrate how mental health can be addressed at scale. These models provide inspiration and best practices that can be adapted to the Indian context, including integrated care systems and digital interventions. By leveraging these proven approaches, we can build scalable solutions that improve access, quality, and outcomes for mental health services in India.
At Amaha and Children First, we believe that scaling mental healthcare requires a combination of technology, robust clinical leadership, a strong focus on continuous training, and evidence-based protocols. Technology plays a critical role in expanding our reach—whether through teletherapy, telepsychiatry, or our self-care app, we’re committed to making quality care accessible to anyone, anywhere. But it’s not just about accessibility; it’s about ensuring that every interaction is grounded in quality. Our use of data and analytics enables seamless clinician-client interactions, personalised treatment plans, and real-time insights to help us stay aligned with our mission of delivering the best possible outcomes.
Simultaneously, we’ve invested heavily in building a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, and other clinical experts who are dedicated to providing top-tier care backed by standardised scientific protocols. We know that the only way to truly scale mental healthcare is by ensuring that every professional is equipped with the right skills and knowledge, backed by adequate systems and supervision, to meet growing demand.
Part II of this blog takes a closer look at how Amaha is treating mental health at scale.
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