India ranks 60th in youth mental health and spends under 1 percent on it, is the govt pretending this crisis does not exist?

The Sapien Labs Mental State of the World 2025 report ranked Indian youth aged 18 to 34 at 60th out of 84 countries. 60th out of 84. With a Mind Health Quotient score of 33, classified as Distressed or Struggling. Let me break that down. Indian young people, the demographic dividend the govt keeps boasting about, are mentally distressed. The same youth who are supposed to drive India's growth are struggling to get through the day. And here is the most shocking part. Indians aged 55 and above scored 96, classified as Managing or Succeeding. So the older generation is doing fine but the young people are falling apart. What does that tell you? The older generation grew up with less pressure, simpler lives, stronger family support. The young generation is growing up with exam pressure, social media comparison, career anxiety, and zero mental health support. The Indian Psychiatry Society found that 60 percent of mental illnesses are identified before age 35, and 34.6 percent start before age 14. Before age 14. Kids in class 8 or 9 are already developing mental health issues and nobody is noticing. A study across 30 universities found 18.8 percent of college students had thought about suicide. Nearly 1 in 5 college students. Walking around a campus, every fifth person you see has thought about ending their life. And we are not talking about it. Despite these alarming numbers, India spends less than 1 percent of its health budget on mental health. Less than 1 percent. When the govt announces health initiatives, mental health is barely mentioned. When they talk about youth welfare, they talk about jobs and skills, not mental wellbeing. There are only 0.75 psychiatrists per lakh population. WHO recommends 3 per lakh. We have one fourth the recommended number. If you live in a small town or village, good luck finding a psychiatrist at all. Most districts in India have zero mental health professionals. Zero. And stigma prevents most people from seeking help even when it is available. If you say you are depressed, people say you are just lazy. If you say you have anxiety, people say you are making excuses. If you go to a therapist, neighbors gossip. Mental health is still treated like a personal weakness rather than a medical condition. The govt launched Tele MANAS, a mental health helpline, and claims it is helping millions. But a helpline is not a solution. You cannot fix a systemic crisis with a phone number. Where are the school counselors? Where are the college therapists? Where are the community mental health centers? Where is the awareness campaign to destigmatize mental health? The govt spends thousands of crores on building statues and highways but cannot spend on the mental health of its young people. The same youth who are killing themselves because of pressure are supposed to be India's future. What future? A future of distressed, struggling, burnt out young people? The govt needs to wake up. Mental health is not a luxury. It is not a Western concept. It is a real crisis happening right now, in every college, every coaching centre, every office. Is the govt pretending this crisis does not exist?