India’s Cry for Help: Mental Health Helpline Sees 20x Surge in Calls Post-Pandemic

📅 By News Anek Digital Desk | June 20, 2025

“Log kehte hain ‘zinda ho toh muskarao’. Par yeh bhi koi nahi poochta ki muskaraane ka mann hai ya nahi.”(People say—if you’re alive, you must smile. But nobody asks if you feel like smiling at all.)

India is battling a silent epidemic—and it’s not COVID. It’s mental distress.

According to a new report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India’s national mental health helpline “Tele-MANAS” has recorded over 32 lakh calls since its launch in October 2022, with a staggering 20x increase in call volume since the COVID pandemic began.

And here's the scary part: the most common calls are from young adults, students, and rural women—many of whom had never spoken to a mental health professional before.

This is not just a health issue. It's a social awakening.

📞 What Is Tele-MANAS?

Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) is a 24x7, toll-free, multilingual helpline launched under the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).

• 📱 Helpline Number: 14416

• 🌐 Languages supported: 22 Indian languages

• 👥 Team: Clinical psychologists, counselors, psychiatrists

• 🏥 Tied to 42 regional mental health centers and district hospitals

“This is India’s largest mental health support network—yet it’s just a drop in the ocean,” says a Delhi-based psychiatrist.

🔍 Call Volume Trends (2023–2025)

Year	Total Calls	Avg. Per Day	Surge Reason
2023	~1.5 lakh	400–500	Post-pandemic anxiety
2024	~6.8 lakh	1,800+	Job stress, academic burnout
2025 (YTD)	24+ lakh	6,000–7,500	Climate anxiety, grief, loneliness

The 20x jump is more than a number—it’s India’s suppressed pain line going public.

🧠 Top Reasons Why People Are Calling

1. Anxiety & Panic Attacks

Triggered by:

• Exam results, job uncertainty, marriage pressure

• Overthinking, sleeplessness, heart palpitations

“Panic attack ka matlab heart attack samajh lete hain log,” a counselor told us.

2. Depression & Suicidal Thoughts

• 1 in 3 calls is about loneliness or suicidal ideation

• Most callers are aged 16–35

3. Substance Abuse & Withdrawal

• Alcoholism and drug dependency increased post-COVID, especially in unemployed youth

4. Relationship & Marital Stress

• Isolation during lockdowns → rise in domestic arguments, emotional abuse

5. Trauma, Grief & Loss

• COVID bereavement trauma

• Climate disasters like floods & heatwaves worsening mental health in rural India

👩‍⚕️ Real Stories from the Helpline

Caller: 19-year-old boy, Jaipur“Mujhe lagta hai sab bekaar hai. Padhai bhi, zindagi bhi. Kabhi kabhi bas chillana chahta hoon. But gharwale samajhte nahi.”

Caller: Housewife, Uttar Pradesh“Main kisise baat nahi kar sakti. Jab batati hoon ki thak gayi hoon, kehte hain ‘auraton ke nakhre hain’. Bas isi number pe phone karti hoon jab akela lagta hai.”

Caller: Migrant worker, West Bengal“COVID mein maa chali gayi. Tab se kuch achha nahi lagta. Dar lagta hai raat ko. Yehi number pe har hafte call karta hoon.”

📉 Why Is India Facing a Mental Health Explosion?

1. COVID’s Psychological Aftershocks

• Loss, isolation, fear, and financial pressure changed the collective psyche

• Many people never processed their grief or trauma

2. Digital Overload

• Doomscrolling, gaming addiction, social comparison via Instagram/Reels has led to mental exhaustion and low self-worth

3. No Safe Spaces

• Most Indians, especially youth, still can’t talk about depression, therapy, medication openly at home

4. Zero Mental Health Curriculum

• Schools teach trigonometry, but not how to process breakups or failure

• 90% of Indian colleges have no in-house counseling systems

🏥 Systemic Gaps That Make It Worse

Problem	Reality
🧑‍⚕️ Mental Health Professionals	1 psychiatrist per 1 lakh people (WHO recommends 1 per 10,000)
🏫 Access in Rural India	Only 3% of district hospitals have psychologists
🧒 Children’s Therapy	Only 45 government pediatric counselors across India
🧓 Geriatric Mental Health	Barely any old-age focused helpline services

💬 News Anek Expert View: India Needs a “Mind Mission”

“We built ISRO, Aadhaar, CoWIN—why not a mental health mission with equal seriousness?”

Here’s what India must do now:

✅ 1. Expand Helpline Access

• Add regional WhatsApp chatbots in Hindi, Tamil, Bangla, etc.

• Allow anonymous voice notes to trained volunteers

✅ 2. Mental Health Curriculum in Schools

• A weekly “Emotional Literacy” class in every high school

• Workshops on handling rejection, bullying, burnout

✅ 3. Train Panchayat & Anganwadi Workers

• Just like ASHA workers deliver vaccines, they can flag signs of depression or addiction

✅ 4. Media & Influencer Collaboration

• Collaborate with YouTubers and podcasters to normalize therapy and publicise helpline numbers

📊 Summary Snapshot

Element	Detail
Helpline Name	Tele-MANAS
Toll-Free Number	14416
Languages	22 Indian languages
Total Calls (2022–25)	32+ lakh
Surge Reason	Anxiety, depression, trauma
Urgent Need	Infrastructure, awareness, education

📢 Final Word from News Anek

Mental health isn’t just about hospitals and helplines.It’s about acknowledging that pain isn’t weakness. That asking for help is strength.

If India doesn’t address this surge now, we won’t just lose lives—we’ll lose minds, dreams, and the emotional backbone of our youth.

The next public health revolution must be a mental one.And it must begin today, with one brave call at a time.