New Survey Shows Most Indians See Rising Mental Health Concerns But Hesitate To Get Therapy

Nearly 81 percent of people in India think mental health problems are going up in society, but nearly 80 percent still hesitate to get therapy or counselling. This gap between knowing there is an issue and getting professional help comes from a new survey called the अ-Nishchit Index 2.0, released by Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance.

Survey Details And Regional Numbers

The findings came out ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10. The survey spoke to 3,583 people aged 22 to 60 across 20 cities. Data collection happened between July and October 2025 by a group called Drshti Strategic Research Services. East India showed the highest hesitation toward therapy at 25 percent of respondents, compared to 22 percent in the North, 21 percent in the West, and 14 percent in the South. The East also had the biggest worry about growing mental health problems at 26 percent.

Gender And Family Concerns

The results show differences between men and women. In East India, 27 percent of men hesitated to see a therapist, compared to 24 percent of women. Meanwhile, in the North and West, women worried more than men about rising mental health problems, with 25 percent of women expressing concern compared to 22 percent of men. Families also showed worry, as 25 percent of parents in East India felt concerned about their children's ability to handle setbacks, which is higher than the national average of 21 percent.

Leadership Statements

Kamlesh Rao, who is the managing director and chief executive officer of Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, said mental health responses need to fit different communities and family needs. He stated that the company wants asking for help to become a normal habit. Amit Gupta, who is the chief financial officer of Aditya Birla Education Trust and heads operations at Mpower, pointed out that knowing a problem exists is different from knowing when to get help. He stressed the need to build mental health literacy early and put it into school lessons. The report also notes that ABSLI and Mpower provide two free grief counselling sessions to eligible nominees of deceased policyholders.

Context

Mental health awareness campaigns in India have grown in recent years, yet social hesitation and a lack of clear guidance on where to go remain common hurdles. Studies of this kind help insurance firms and health groups understand public attitudes so they can design better support systems and outreach programs.