It was a humid afternoon in Nagwa block of Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, when 16-year-old Meera (name changed), a promising student, first experienced a panic attack. She was walking back from school, overwhelmed by the academic pressures of grade 10, her upcoming exams, the fear of being forced to drop out of school due to distance, and the increasing pressure of getting married – all this was causing a growing sense of isolation. Meera isn’t the only one. Adolescents across rural India face similar struggles—navigating academic pressures, social expectations, and the emotional turbulence that comes with growing up. Unfortunately, many like Meera don’t understand how to recognise or seek help for these overwhelming emotions. As World Mental Health Day 2024 focuses on mental health at work, it’s critical to remember that mental health support for adolescents forms the foundation of their adult well-being.
Adolescence is an inherently challenging time. Young people are thrust into a whirlwind of transitions—physically, emotionally, and socially. They move out of familiar environments, enter new spaces like high schools and colleges, and face challenges that test their mental resilience. Meera’s panic attack, for instance, wasn’t just about her exams. It was about her fear of failure, feeling lost in a sea of expectations, and not knowing how to express her anxiety.
For adolescents, understanding their emotions can be daunting. They are often unequipped with the social or emotional vocabulary to explain what’s happening inside their minds. Many feel isolated or unable to seek help due to stigma or simply not knowing who to talk to and where to go for help. This is why creating an ecosystem of mental health support is crucial for this age group.
Adolescents need a nurturing ecosystem that supports their mental health. They require safe spaces to express themselves without fear of judgment, along with easy access to information and services that can help them navigate their challenges. This support must come from mental health professionals, family, teachers, peers, and communities. Initiatives like Utthan in Uttar Pradesh are building linkages amongst stakeholders for advancing adolescent mental health.
Government initiatives in India have already taken steps toward creating this support system. Flagship programmes like ‘Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) – Saathiya Kendra’, ‘Tele-MANAS- Mental health helpline’, and ‘District Mental Health Programme – Mankaksh’ aim to promote adolescent mental health. In Uttar Pradesh, many innovations and proactive steps have been taken to offer mental health services, promote awareness, and provide platforms for adolescents to seek help.
But despite these efforts, many adolescents, like Meera, still don’t know where to turn. They are either unaware of the available resources or unsure how to seek help. The real challenge lies in ensuring these services are accessible, approachable, and tailored to the unique needs of young people.
Adolescents spend a large part of their day engaging with their teachers and peers in schools, participating in community outreach events with elders and front-line health workers, and increasing social media, apps, and online platforms. Therefore, a mix of traditional outreach methods and digital media resonates with adolescents. Accurate messaging across both these mediums will be the game-changer in spreading awareness about mental health and making resources easily accessible.
Imagine Meera attending a session by the Adolescent Health Counsellor (AHC) or the Health and Wellness Ambassador (HWA) in school, where she is able to recognise the early signs of anxiety and the need and pathway to seek help. Schools are often the first places where mental health challenges manifest. Equipping teachers with the knowledge to identify mental health concerns early can make a world of difference – ‘The School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP)’ is already working on training HWAs to integrate mental health education into school curricula. Still, frequent transactions on these issues and making services of a mental health counsellor available in schools is the road ahead.
Peer support systems are also incredibly effective. Peer educators, who are trained to guide their friends through mental health challenges, can bridge the gap between formal resources and adolescents in need. This ensures that young people feel less isolated and more understood.
Community Health Officers (CHOs) are another key touchpoint. Often working at the grassroots level, they can identify early signs of mental health struggles and guide adolescents toward appropriate care. With adequate training, they become an integral part of the mental health ecosystem, ensuring that no child slips through the cracks. Platforms like Tele-MANAS, where an adolescent can seek help with anonymity, also make mental health support more affordable and less intimidating for young people.
Adolescent mental health is not the responsibility of any one group—it is a collective mission. Parents, teachers, healthcare providers, and the wider community must come together to create a nurturing environment for young people. Parents, in particular, play a crucial role. Parents can create a safe space for adolescents to express their emotions and seek support by fostering open communication at home.
World Mental Health Day 2024 reminds us of the importance of mental well-being in the workplace, but the mental health of adolescents lays the foundation for the future workforce. By creating a supportive, understanding, and accessible ecosystem for young people, we can help them grow into resilient, emotionally intelligent adults.
As Meera reflects on her journey, she realises that asking for help was her first step towards healing. We can build a world where mental health is prioritised. She—and countless others like her—can find the support they need, no longer feeling lost in the maze of expectations and emotions.
This article is authored by Seema Gupta and Sukriti Jain, IPE Global Centre for Knowledge and Development (CKD), New Delhi.
