Mental Health & Social Well-Being

When we think of mental health, we often think of doctors, counsellors, and therapy. These are all vital, but there's something equally powerful that rarely gets the attention it deserves - community support. In a country like India, where nearly every family has someone silently struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression, community support could be the missing link in our approach to mental wellbeing. In simple terms, community support means people looking out for one another families, friends, neighbours, teachers, colleagues, or even local groups coming together to listen, care, and offer help. It is not about replacing professional treatment, but about creating an environment where people feel safe to talk about what theyre going through, without fear or shame.

For many years in India, people were scared to talk about mental health. Psychiatrists were branded as doctors for "mad people." Because of this fear, most people kept their pain to themselves. However, this is slowly changing. This year, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been made Indias first mental health ambassador by the Health Ministry. The announcement was made on World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2025. Deepika said she feels honoured and wants to work with the government to make people understand mental health better. The government's message was clear that it wants wants mental health to be taken seriously, not hidden in shame.