Original studyIndia Today (HealthWealth Summit); background NIMHANS study, Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2026Read the paper →
Mental health is a more visible part of public conversation in India, but psychiatrists say that is not the same as more people getting help. Speaking at India Today’s HealthWealth Summit in Noida on 29 October 2026, a panel pointed to stigma, cost, and limited access as reasons the gap persists.
“Even today, three-quarters of people experiencing mental health difficulties do not seek help,” said Dr Samir Parikh, chairperson and director of the Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Healthcare. He added that the share of people approaching mental health professionals had not risen dramatically over the past 25 to 30 years.
Why social media can mislead
Dr Parikh cautioned against treating social media feeds as a picture of society. Algorithms can show users more posts about depression and anxiety once they engage with them, giving the impression that everyone is discussing these issues or seeking help. “We have started mistaking the noise within our own ecosystem for reality,” he said.
Dr Sandeep Vohra, a psychiatrist and digital mental health entrepreneur, said family members once helped young people put problems into perspective, whereas social media now exposes them to constant comparison of achievements, finances, and lifestyles. Dr Manushree Gupta, president of the Delhi Psychiatric Society, said identity formation has become increasingly public, with likes and dislikes used as measures of self-worth.
The risks of asking AI
The panel also discussed people turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini with mental health concerns. Dr Gupta warned that these systems can sometimes validate inaccurate assumptions, including self-diagnoses of conditions such as ADHD, or encourage users to label partners as narcissistic or toxic. AI could, however, help some people get past the first hesitation about seeking support.
What the research shows
A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), reported by The Tribune on 22 October 2026, found a large treatment gap in a rural Karnataka sample. Published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry in August 2026, it screened 35,023 adults across six primary health centres in Ramanagara district. Of the 348 people with a confirmed condition included in follow-up, 268, or about 77%, had never sought treatment, even though services were available nearby.
According to The Tribune, only six of those 268 approached a health facility after being counselled to do so. Barriers included aggression, hostility, intoxication, lack of insight into the illness, and low motivation to stop substance use, and 92.5% of participants with substance use disorders had never sought treatment.
When to seek help
Dr Vohra said changes in a person’s personal, professional, or social functioning can signal a need for help, and that delayed treatment can make recovery harder. Government hospitals and free services offer options for those who cannot afford private care. Psychreg has also covered how to support a family member who refuses mental health treatment.
In India, Tele-MANAS, the government’s mental health helpline, is free on 14416 or 1-800-891-4416, and panellists said it runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in several languages. If you are struggling to cope in the UK or Ireland, you can contact Samaritans for free on 116 123.
