A large number of Indians believe mental health problems are becoming more common, but many remain reluctant to seek professional support. According to the Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance (ABSLI) 3H-Nishchit Index 2.0, 81% of respondents believe mental health issues are increasing across society, while nearly 80% hesitate to seek therapy or counselling.
The findings highlight the gap between growing awareness of mental health concerns and people’s willingness to approach professionals for help. The survey also points to differences across regions and genders, along with concerns among parents about their children’s ability to cope with life’s challenges.
East India Reports the Highest Hesitation to Seek Therapy
The survey found significant regional differences in people’s willingness to seek mental health support. East India recorded the highest level of hesitation, at 25%, followed by North India at 22% and West India at 21%. South India reported the lowest hesitation, at 14%.
Concerns about increasing mental health problems were also noticeable in the eastern region, where 26% of respondents expressed worry about the issue.
Gender differences were visible as well. In East India, 27% of men and 24% of women said they hesitated to seek therapy. In North and West India, women showed greater concern about rising mental health problems than men, with the figures standing at 25% and 22%, respectively.
Parents Concerned About Children’s Ability to Handle Setbacks
The survey also highlighted concerns among parents about children’s emotional resilience. In East India, 25% of parents expressed worry about their children’s ability to cope with setbacks. This was higher than the national average of 21%.
The findings underline the importance of discussing mental health openly within families and helping children develop healthy ways to manage stress, disappointment and other emotional challenges.
Experts Emphasise the Need to Make Mental Health Support Accessible
The findings indicate that awareness alone may not be enough to encourage people to seek professional help. Reducing hesitation and making counselling more accessible could help individuals address mental health concerns before they become more difficult to manage.
Kamlesh Rao, Managing Director and CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, and Amit Gupta, CFO of Aditya Birla Education Trust and head of operations at Mpower, highlighted the importance of mental health awareness and support.
As part of its support initiatives, ABSLI, in association with Mpower, provides two complimentary grief counselling sessions to each eligible nominee of a deceased policyholder. The initiative is intended to offer emotional support to eligible beneficiaries during a difficult period.
Survey Covered 3,583 Respondents Across 20 Cities
The ABSLI 3H-Nishchit Index 2.0 survey covered 3,583 respondents aged between 22 and 60 across 20 cities. Data was collected from July to October 2025.
Its key findings show that mental health concerns are widely recognised, yet hesitation about professional support remains high. The regional and gender-based differences also suggest that awareness and access to mental health services may need to be addressed with sensitivity to local concerns.
Disclaimer: The survey findings reflect the views of the respondents who participated in the study and should not be interpreted as representative of the entire Indian population.