Explaining the mental health crisis among students

What is the primary reason behind the mental health crisis among students? Who should be held responsible? Most people on social media blame schools and colleges for it. It is far easier to come across a social media post attempting to evoke an emotional response than a post presenting a nuanced view point. It is far easier to gather likes by writing a “Toxic work-culture in IITs” story than by presenting data from well researched articles and performing a factual analysis.

In my view schools and institutions these days give far more emphasis on mental health than they did 20 years back. Beating is banned in schools. Every IIT now has a psychological counselling cell to help students in distress. Yet, the outcome is exactly opposite. There are far more students who need help now than 20 years ago.

Months back many became very upset when I expressed my opinion on social media that institute-level initiatives are never going to fully solve the problem. Why? The primary source behind psychological distress is relationship issues particularly within family.

One is far more vulnerable to mental distress if family support is inadequate. In the rat race of reaching the top, parents often ignore the psychological well-being of their children. About 30% of students I surveyed told me they are in IITB just because of their parents.

Many parents with all good intentions over manage their children’s life. Of course those children are not very well prepared for real-world challenges because they were hardly allowed to be independent. In rare cases, parents inflict great violence if things do not go according to their plan as in the attached image.

Parents should understand that it is not even in their interest to force children to do something just to brag “My son is working in Amerika” in future. Often such a mask of arrogance is put on to hide “no one cares for me these days.”

What should parents focus on is raising emotionally healthy kids who can take care of not just themselves but also others around them. They will be much better off in the future as they themselves will require emotional support when they get old.