According to a 2017 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), 56 million Indians live with depression, and another 38 million live with anxiety disorders. Mental distress is also one of the reasons why, in India, one student dies by suicide every hour.
The WHO defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” A person’s mental health is shaped by a wide range of influences—harsh parenting, genetic vulnerability, economic hardship, and the broader conditions of life.
In India, the National Mental Health Programme remains far from its goal of integrating mental health services into primary healthcare. Studies published by the National Institutes of Health estimate that over 90 per cent of those who need care do not receive it. The gap points to a public health crisis that continues to widen.
This Frontline package looks at how mental health is being shaped by changing social structures, medical practices, and digital life. From Meera Rao’s essay on autism masking to Aditya Sinha’s reflection on therapy culture, the pieces examine how distress is often hidden behind performances of normalcy.