Young Indian men are experiencing a deepening mental-health crisis, with new data showing a sharp rise in emotional distress across cities, campuses and workplaces. A five-year review by Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust found that of the 2.83 lakh men who sought or received support through helplines, screenings and outreach programmes, over two lakh were aged just 18–25, a concentration that highlights how fragile young men’s mental well-being has become.
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The findings highlight a widening gap between rising stressors and limited emotional support systems, compounded by stigma, silence and a culture that still discourages men from seeking help early.
Helplines show rising distress: relationship strain, loneliness, burnout
Mpower’s detailed analysis shows that youth-centric programmes alone reached 2,07,350 men through early-intervention activities, campus engagements and community outreach.
The organisation’s Mpower 1on1 helpline recorded 75,702 calls from men between 2022 and 2025, many made anonymously, a sign of the hesitation and fear of judgment that still keep men away from in-person care.
Of these, 16,698 calls were tied to relationship stress, depression and anxiety, reaffirming that interpersonal and emotional struggles are among the most common reasons men seek support. Participation was highest in Pune (1,13,435 engagements) and Mumbai (53,657), followed by Delhi, Rajasthan, Bengaluru, Goa and Hyderabad.
Parveen Shaikh, President of Mpower, said “Men continue to shoulder an enormous emotional burden, often silently. Our data shows that when men do reach out, the relief is immediate and meaningful. We must encourage young men to seek support early rather than internalising pressure. Seeking help is not a weakness, it is a strength.”
Rima Bhandekar Senior Psychologist Helpline Mpower Aditya Birla Education Trust said the trends mirror what counsellors hear daily. “Men are expected to handle everything stoically. High competition, poor emotional communication, unresolved conflicts and limited support networks all contribute to rising distress.”
Why young men are struggling: structural stress, financial strain and digital overload
Clinical psychologists say the crisis is being fuelled by a complex mix of structural, emotional and digital pressures.
Dr Jasmine Arora, Consultant – Clinical Psychologist, Artemis Hospitals, said men are facing relentless demands at work, unstable finances and rising costs of living, leaving many feelings inadequate or unable to cope.
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“Workplaces expect people to be constantly productive and available. Many men feel they must perform all the time, which leads to exhaustion and feeling ‘not good enough.’ The pressure to be the breadwinner adds further strain,” she said.
Younger men face academic overload, family expectations and difficulty balancing personal life. Digital overwhelm from constant notifications to social comparison is emerging as a major trigger for stress, irritability and burnout.
Dr Arora further said “Men are stuck in a cycle where they cannot rest, show emotions or ask for help. Understanding these structural factors is key to building healthier systems at work, at home and in schools.”
Societal expectations around masculinity deepen emotional suppression
Across services, clinicians report the same patterns: suppressed emotions, withdrawal, over-working, irritability and unhealthy coping behaviours such as excessive gaming or substance use.
Sushmita Upadhaya, Clinical Psychologist at Lissun, said cultural conditioning remains one of the most damaging influences.
“From young age boys are told ‘boys don’t cry’. As adults, this results in suppressed emotions and difficulty acknowledging distress. Many choose avoidant behaviours, overworking, social withdrawal or even aggression — instead of seeking support.”
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She noted that competition in education and jobs, loneliness, shifting relationships, and rising financial obligations are pushing young men into “chronic stress, anxiety and self-doubt”.
Policy changes needed: Experts call for gender-specific mental-health strategies
India’s mental-health ecosystem still lacks frameworks tailored to men’s mental-health needs.
Dr Naveen Kumar Dhagudu, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Yashoda Hospitals, said cultural expectations around masculinity and silence make the crisis harder to address.
“This stigma contributes to high rates of suicide, substance use and untreated depression among men, yet these issues remain less acknowledged,” he said.
He called for men-specific mental-health strategies within the National Mental Health Programme, suicide-prevention initiatives tailored to men, insurance coverage for counselling and routine mental-health screening in primary care.
Dr Dhagudu added that health providers must recognise how differently distress appears in men:
“A man struggling with depression may not say he feels sad — he may become irritable, withdraw, or engage in risky behaviour. Recognising these signs can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.”
Practical steps: What individuals, workplaces and families can do
Experts emphasise that breaking the silence around men’s emotions requires coordinated action.
For individuals, Rima Bhandekar recommends expanding emotional vocabulary to help men correctly identify their feelings, challenging the belief that men must always appear strong, speaking to experts early to build emotional-conflict management skills, and using affordable support options such as helplines and online counselling.
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She said that workplaces should encourage leaders to model openness by discussing their own emotional struggles, train managers to recognise signs of emotional stress among male employees, and integrate mental-wellbeing helplines, self-care workshops and dedicated “time for feelings” into wellness programmes.
“For families, she advises treating emotions as gender-neutral, using everyday interactions like chores, car rides and neighbourhood walks to talk about feelings, discussing difficult moments rather than only positive ones, and normalising visits to mental-health professionals in the same way one would visit any doctor,” she added.
A silent crisis demanding urgent attention
Experts agree the rise in emotional distress among young Indian men reflects both shifting social realities and longstanding cultural expectations. As outreach data shows young men seeking help in record numbers, often anonymously, psychologists warn that India must act quickly to dismantle stigma, strengthen support systems and create environments where men feel free to express vulnerability.
Without systemic change, the burden of unspoken emotional stress will continue to grow with consequences for families, workplaces, campuses and the broader economy.
HomeHealthOver 2 lakh young Indians seek help for stress, burnout and emotional distress, finds studyEnd of Article