By SadhguruIn today’s world, understanding the basis of mental health is of utmost importance and more relevant than ever before. Just a few decades ago, mental health problems were something that happened to someone else. But today, either someone that you know is going through it or you yourself might be going through it. The World Health Organization is talking about a mental health pandemic.Mental illness does not affect just certain types of people. It can affect anyone. Ensuring that you don’t go there is the important thing because human experience—pain and pleasure, joy and misery, agony and ecstasy—is determined from within. External events, even between two members of a family, never happen one hundred per cent your way. But what happens within you must be determined by you.We need to understand that our physical and mental health are both fundamentally our responsibility. The source of our well-being, joy and love is invested in us. It is time to explore that.&nbsp;

<h2>#1 Learn to sit right</h2>&nbsp;Whether you name it stress, anxiety, or whatever else—essentially, there is friction in the system. So it is important that first, the system is geometrically well-aligned, and next, it must be properly lubricated. There are ways to do this. Where there is geometrical perfection, there is no effort; there is no friction. That is what you have to bring into your system.The simplest thing is you just learn to sit properly. Sit in such a way that the body does not need your muscular support, that it is so well balanced that if it sits, it simply sits. Just do this for a few hours a day, and you will see—you will feel much better.&nbsp;<h2>#2 Say no to snacking</h2>&nbsp;In Yoga, we say that an unclean colon and psychological disturbances are directly connected. If the colon is not clean, you cannot keep your mind stable.When the digestive process is happening in the stomach bag, the purification of the body on the cellular level almost shuts down. So if you keep eating through the day, the cells retain impurities for a longer period, which creates various problems over a period of time. Even the excretory process from the intestines does not happen efficiently because the waste material will keep coming to the colon at different times instead of at once.In the Yogic system, we say there must be a minimum of six to eight hours between one meal and the next. If that is not possible, at least a five-hour gap is a must. Less than that means you are causing trouble to yourself.&nbsp;<h2>#3 Reduce meat consumption</h2>&nbsp;The type of food we eat has a huge impact on the mind. An average American is said to consume 200 pounds of meat per year. If you bring it down to 50 pounds, you will see 75% of the people will not need antidepressants anymore. Meat is a good food to survive if you are out in the desert or the jungle. If you are lost somewhere, a piece of meat will keep you going, because it provides concentrated nourishment. But it should not be a daily food that you eat when there are other choices.There are many ways to look at this. One thing is animals have the intelligence to know in their last few moments that they are going to get killed, no matter how cunningly or how scientifically you do it. Any animal that has the capacity to express some kind of emotion will always grasp when it is going to be killed.Suppose all of you come to know right now that at the end of this day, you are going to get slaughtered. Imagine the struggle that you would go through, the burst of chemical reactions within you. An animal goes through at least some fraction of that. This means when you kill an animal, the negative acids and whatever other chemicals are in the meat. When you consume the meat, it creates unnecessary levels of mental fluctuations.If you put people who are on antidepressants on a conscious vegetarian diet, in about three months’ time, most of them will not need their medication anymore.&nbsp;<h2>#4 Don’t forcefully deny yourself sleep</h2>&nbsp;How much sleep your body needs depends on the level of physical activity you perform. There is no need to fix the quantum of either food or sleep. When your activity levels are low, you eat less. When they are high, you may eat more. The same goes for sleep. The moment the body is well rested it will get up, whether at 3 AM or 8 AM. Your body should not wake up to an alarm bell. Once it feels sufficiently rested, it must come awake.If you forcefully deny sleep to the body, your physical and mental capabilities and whatever else you have will drop. You should never do that. You must give the body how much sleep it needs.But if the body is somehow trying to use the bed as a grave, it won’t want to come out. Someone will have to raise you from the dead! It depends on how you are handling your life. If you are in a mental state where you want to avoid life, you will naturally tend to eat and sleep more.&nbsp;<h2>#5 Meditation</h2>&nbsp;The main aspect of meditation is, right now your mind is the boss and you are the slave. As you become more meditative, you become the boss and your mind becomes the slave. Once you become meditative, there is a clear space between you and your body and mind. Once there is a distinct separation, this is the end of suffering, because there are only two kinds of suffering you have known—physical and mental. You will dare to explore the full scope of what it means to be human only when there is no fear of suffering.Meditation is that process through which you learn to operate this mind so that it functions as a miracle. As there is a science for external wellbeing, there is a science for inner wellbeing. Towards this, in February 2025, we launched the Miracle of Mind app, which offers a simple 7-minute meditative process that can be practiced anywhere to bring a sense of peace, joy, and exuberance into one's life.&nbsp;It is my wish and my blessing that every human being on the planet experiences the Miracle of Mind.&nbsp;(Ranked amongst the fifty most influential people in India, Sadhguru is a Yogi, mystic, visionary and a New York Times bestselling author. Sadhguru has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 2017, the highest annual civilian award, accorded for exceptional and distinguished service. He is also the founder of the world’s largest people’s movement, Conscious Planet–Save Soil, which has touched over 4 billion people.)

Meditation is that process through which you learn to operate this mind so that it functions as a miracle. As there is a science for external wellbeing, there is a science for inner wellbeing.

By Sadhguru In today’s world, understanding the basis of mental health is of utmost importance and more relevant than ever before. Just a few decades ago, mental health problems were something that happened to someone else. But today, either someone that you know is going through it or you yourself might be going through it. The World Health Organization is talking about a mental health pandemic. Mental illness does not affect just certain types of people. It can affect anyone. Ensuring that you don’t go there is the important thing because human experience—pain and pleasure, joy and misery, agony and ecstasy—is determined from within. External events, even between two members of a family, never happen one hundred per cent your way. But what happens within you must be determined by you. We need to understand that our physical and mental health are both fundamentally our responsibility. The source of our well-being, joy and love is invested in us. It is time to explore that.

Meditation is that process through which you learn to operate this mind so that it functions as a miracle. As there is a science for external wellbeing, there is a science for inner wellbeing.

World Mental Health Day: 5 simple tips to take charge of your mental health

Mental health has become a topic that is everywhere these days. From reels to classrooms, the health of our minds is being discussed and debated extensively, with counselling and therapy booming in India. But despite this welcome trend, the latest data by the National Crime Records Bureau or NCRB paints a grim picture. In 2023, suicides among students rose to a record high of 13,892. This is a 64.9 % increase from 2013.&nbsp;So what changed in a decade, and are India’s young adults in danger? On World Mental Health Day, WION talks to experts to get to the root cause of mental health struggles in young people. Read more!<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Pressure to Succeed&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;Young adults today face increased academic and career-related pressures, with jobs being scarce and teenagers often being forced to prepare for gruellingly hard competitive exams, not helped by the pressure put on them by their parents to succeed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Jamuna Rajeswaran, Head of the Department at the Department of Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS, Bangalore, says that ‘young people are especially vulnerable: late adolescence and early adulthood are marked by identity formation, steep expectations (both self-imposed and from family), and transitions, between school and coaching, or moving cities to prepare for competitive exams.’&nbsp;Dr Rajeswaran adds that “in Kota, the famous coaching hub, a study found that between January 2022 and February 2025, at least 24 student suicides were reported among enrolments in coaching centres. Seventeen of these occurred in the period just before exams, and many of the affected students had previously scored over 80% in Class 10, making them acutely aware of the gap between past success and imminent expectations.”&nbsp;This signals the growing pressure that students feel to succeed amid near-impossible odds. The chances of getting into India’s premier engineering college, the Indian Institute of Technology or IIT, are 1.2% in 2025. It is to be noted that the odds of getting into Harvard University are 3.4%.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘Frivolous’ or ‘Unserious’ Generation</h2>&nbsp;The Generation Z, or those born in the late 1990s, are often called ‘unserious’ and ‘frivolous’ by older generations, with teachers and managers often complaining about their ‘lack of ethics’ and them not wanting to work hard enough. But is this really true, and do these preconceived notions increase the mental toll that this generation faces?Dr Mohammed Afsar, Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, says that “the idea that Gen Z is 'frivolous' or 'not serious' misses the more complex, serious ways in which they are re-defining work and success.”&nbsp;&nbsp;He adds that “what fuels the stereotype of Gen Z as unserious are visible differences in how they express ambition. Gen Z moves jobs more often, experiments with freelancing or side-projects, values work that aligns with personal values rather than just prestige, and tends to demand new norms (flexible hours, remote options, mental health supports) that older generations may interpret as lack of commitment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>The Social Media Generation&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;India is one of the largest users of the internet, with Indians spending up to 7 hours online, with 2.5 of those being spent on apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter and more, according to the Digital 2025 India Report.&nbsp;&nbsp;But does this affect the mental health of its users?&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Rajeswaran says that “young people are particularly vulnerable to mental-health challenges due to a blend of developmental, social, and structural pressures — and social media can act both as a risk amplifier and a resource, depending on how it’s used.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“Analyses show a consistent though modest association between heavier or problematic social media use and higher depressive or anxiety symptoms in young adults, especially when use is passive (scrolling). However, social media doesn’t always cause distress but can worsen it in those already vulnerable,” she adds.&nbsp;She highlights a particularly disturbing case in which a 17-year-old girl from India’s Madhya Pradesh staged a ‘suicide reel’ on social media, appearing to take poison in a short video captioned “Pyaar ki khushi ke liye … goodbye”, reportedly motivated by the low engagement on her earlier posts. The footage went viral, causing police alarm and prompting a rescue; investigations later revealed she had only ingested salt and was seeking attention rather than self-harm.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thus, social media clearly has an impact on young people’s mental health, but it depends on how one uses it.&nbsp;<h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Gaps in Access to Mental Health Support</h2>&nbsp;While the need for mental health support is ever-increasing in India, access to it is often defined by how rich one is.&nbsp;&nbsp;The average cost of a private therapy session is a minimum of INR 1000 ( $11.27) per session. For a country whose per capita income per month is INR 17,000 ($191), this is unbearably high.&nbsp;&nbsp;But there are several ways in which this gap can be bridged.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Afsar says that “India already has several promising building blocks — for example, the Tele-MANAS programme launched in 2022 is a national tele-mental-health network offering free, 24×7 counselling in multiple Indian languages; it has handled over 10 lakh calls since its launch, and in states like Telangana more than 1.38 lakh calls have come in for issues ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidal thoughts.”&nbsp;What is required is a concerted effort by the authorities to bring such services to the common person.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>A Ticking Time Bomb</h2>&nbsp;The mental health of India, one of the youngest countries in the world, with the average citizen being only 28 years old, should be one of the most important agendas of its government. But the country currently spends only 1% of its entire health budget on mental health, signalling a disaster waiting to happen. The time has come for the country to awaken to the mental burden that young people face and tackle it before it is too late.&nbsp;

India's young generation is facing a silent mental health crisis, with suicide rates skyrocketing in the country. On World Mental Health Day, WION's Akul Baiju talks to experts on the reasons behind this ticking time bomb.

Mental health has become a topic that is everywhere these days. From reels to classrooms, the health of our minds is being discussed and debated extensively, with counselling and therapy booming in India. But despite this welcome trend, the latest data by the National Crime Records Bureau or NCRB paints a grim picture. In 2023, suicides among students rose to a record high of 13,892. This is a 64.9 % increase from 2013. So what changed in a decade, and are India’s young adults in danger? On World Mental Health Day, WION talks to experts to get to the root cause of mental health struggles in young people. Read more! Pressure to Succeed Young adults today face increased academic and career-related pressures, with jobs being scarce and teenagers often being forced to prepare for gruellingly hard competitive exams, not helped by the pressure put on them by their parents to succeed. Dr Jamuna Rajeswaran, Head of the Department at the Department of Clinical Psychology at NIMHANS, Bangalore, says that ‘young people are especially vulnerable: late adolescence and early adulthood are marked by identity formation, steep expectations (both self-imposed and from family), and transitions, between school and coaching, or moving cities to prepare for competitive exams.’ Dr Rajeswaran adds that “in Kota, the famous coaching hub, a study found that between January 2022 and February 2025, at least 24 student suicides were reported among enrolments in coaching centres. Seventeen of these occurred in the period just before exams, and many of the affected students had previously scored over 80% in Class 10, making them acutely aware of the gap between past success and imminent expectations.” This signals the growing pressure that students feel to succeed amid near-impossible odds. The chances of getting into India’s premier engineering college, the Indian Institute of Technology or IIT, are 1.2% in 2025. It is to be noted that the odds of getting into Harvard University are 3.4%. ‘Frivolous’ or ‘Unserious’ Generation The Generation Z, or those born in the late 1990s, are often called ‘unserious’ and ‘frivolous’ by older generations, with teachers and managers often complaining about their ‘lack of ethics’ and them not wanting to work hard enough. But is this really true, and do these preconceived notions increase the mental toll that this generation faces? Dr Mohammed Afsar, Assistant Professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, says that “the idea that Gen Z is 'frivolous' or 'not serious' misses the more complex, serious ways in which they are re-defining work and success.” He adds that “what fuels the stereotype of Gen Z as unserious are visible differences in how they express ambition. Gen Z moves jobs more often, experiments with freelancing or side-projects, values work that aligns with personal values rather than just prestige, and tends to demand new norms (flexible hours, remote options, mental health supports) that older generations may interpret as lack of commitment.” The Social Media Generation India is one of the largest users of the internet, with Indians spending up to 7 hours online, with 2.5 of those being spent on apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter and more, according to the Digital 2025 India Report. But does this affect the mental health of its users? Dr Rajeswaran says that “young people are particularly vulnerable to mental-health challenges due to a blend of developmental, social, and structural pressures — and social media can act both as a risk amplifier and a resource, depending on how it’s used.” “Analyses show a consistent though modest association between heavier or problematic social media use and higher depressive or anxiety symptoms in young adults, especially when use is passive (scrolling). However, social media doesn’t always cause distress but can worsen it in those already vulnerable,” she adds. She highlights a particularly disturbing case in which a 17-year-old girl from India’s Madhya Pradesh staged a ‘suicide reel’ on social media, appearing to take poison in a short video captioned “Pyaar ki khushi ke liye … goodbye”, reportedly motivated by the low engagement on her earlier posts. The footage went viral, causing police alarm and prompting a rescue; investigations later revealed she had only ingested salt and was seeking attention rather than self-harm. Thus, social media clearly has an impact on young people’s mental health, but it depends on how one uses it. Gaps in Access to Mental Health Support While the need for mental health support is ever-increasing in India, access to it is often defined by how rich one is. The average cost of a private therapy session is a minimum of INR 1000 ( $11.27) per session. For a country whose per capita income per month is INR 17,000 ($191), this is unbearably high. But there are several ways in which this gap can be bridged. Dr Afsar says that “India already has several promising building blocks — for example, the Tele-MANAS programme launched in 2022 is a national tele-mental-health network offering free, 24×7 counselling in multiple Indian languages; it has handled over 10 lakh calls since its launch, and in states like Telangana more than 1.38 lakh calls have come in for issues ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidal thoughts.” What is required is a concerted effort by the authorities to bring such services to the common person. A Ticking Time Bomb The mental health of India, one of the youngest countries in the world, with the average citizen being only 28 years old, should be one of the most important agendas of its government. But the country currently spends only 1% of its entire health budget on mental health, signalling a disaster waiting to happen. The time has come for the country to awaken to the mental burden that young people face and tackle it before it is too late.

India's young generation is facing a silent mental health crisis, with suicide rates skyrocketing in the country. On World Mental Health Day, WION's Akul Baiju talks to experts on the reasons behind this ticking time bomb.

Mental health burden on young adults is reaching a tipping point. Is it too late?

Artificial intelligence is entering the field of mental health through chatbots and virtual assistants, often called AI therapists. These tools are designed to provide simple emotional support, coping tips and guided exercises. While they are not a replacement for licensed therapists, however they are becoming a growing part of mental health care worldwide.&nbsp;A 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) said that digital mental health tools can expand access to support, especially in areas where services are limited. But it also warned about risks, including data privacy and the lack of human judgement.<h2>Benefits of AI Therapy</h2>24/7 availability: Unlike human-led therapy, AI chatbots can respond at any time. For many users, this provides immediate help when no professional is available.&nbsp;Reduced stigma: The anonymity of a chatbot can make it easier for people to open up about their struggles. A study published in JMIR Mental Health found that many young users were more comfortable discussing stress with AI than with adults.&nbsp;Personalised support: Platforms such as Woebot and Wysa use machine learning to adjust responses over time. They often use elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help users reframe negative thoughts.&nbsp;Cost-effectiveness: Many AI mental health apps are free or low-cost, lowering financial barriers to therapy.&nbsp;LimitationsLack of human nuance: AI systems can miss emotional or cultural context. For example, a 2022 paper in Frontiers in reported that Health concern that chatbot replies sometimes felt generic or out of place.&nbsp;Not for crises: AI cannot handle emergencies like suicidal thoughts. Developers usually add warnings directing users to hotlines, but delays or mistakes can be harmful.&nbsp;Privacy concerns: Data shared with apps may not be fully secure. The American Psychiatric Association has called for stronger regulation of digital mental health tools to protect sensitive information.&nbsp;Cultural bias: Since most models are trained on English-language data, responses may not reflect the needs of diverse communities.<h2>The Role of AI in Mental Health</h2>Many experts agree that AI should be viewed as a complement, not a replacement. It can expand access to care, encourage people to seek help, and provide coping strategies. But decisions about diagnosis or treatment must remain with trained professionals.&nbsp;Regulators and mental health bodies stress the need for clear rules on how these tools are marketed and how user data is stored. According to WHO, the aim should be to use AI to support human care, giving more people entry points to mental health resources while keeping therapists in the lead role.

AI is helping people in their mental health care through chatbots and virtual assistants. These tools offer 24/7 support, reduce stigma, and provide coping tips, lets understand concerns over privacy and limits in crises. Experts say AI should support not replace therapists.

Artificial intelligence is entering the field of mental health through chatbots and virtual assistants, often called AI therapists. These tools are designed to provide simple emotional support, coping tips and guided exercises. While they are not a replacement for licensed therapists, however they are becoming a growing part of mental health care worldwide. A 2023 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) said that digital mental health tools can expand access to support, especially in areas where services are limited. But it also warned about risks, including data privacy and the lack of human judgement. Benefits of AI Therapy 24/7 availability: Unlike human-led therapy, AI chatbots can respond at any time. For many users, this provides immediate help when no professional is available. Reduced stigma: The anonymity of a chatbot can make it easier for people to open up about their struggles. A study published in JMIR Mental Health found that many young users were more comfortable discussing stress with AI than with adults. Personalised support: Platforms such as Woebot and Wysa use machine learning to adjust responses over time. They often use elements of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help users reframe negative thoughts. Cost-effectiveness: Many AI mental health apps are free or low-cost, lowering financial barriers to therapy. Limitations Lack of human nuance: AI systems can miss emotional or cultural context. For example, a 2022 paper in Frontiers in reported that Health concern that chatbot replies sometimes felt generic or out of place. Not for crises: AI cannot handle emergencies like suicidal thoughts. Developers usually add warnings directing users to hotlines, but delays or mistakes can be harmful. Privacy concerns: Data shared with apps may not be fully secure. The American Psychiatric Association has called for stronger regulation of digital mental health tools to protect sensitive information. Cultural bias: Since most models are trained on English-language data, responses may not reflect the needs of diverse communities. The Role of AI in Mental Health Many experts agree that AI should be viewed as a complement, not a replacement. It can expand access to care, encourage people to seek help, and provide coping strategies. But decisions about diagnosis or treatment must remain with trained professionals. Regulators and mental health bodies stress the need for clear rules on how these tools are marketed and how user data is stored. According to WHO, the aim should be to use AI to support human care, giving more people entry points to mental health resources while keeping therapists in the lead role.

AI is helping people in their mental health care through chatbots and virtual assistants. These tools offer 24/7 support, reduce stigma, and provide coping tips, lets understand concerns over privacy and limits in crises. Experts say AI should support not replace therapists.

AI therapy explained: Can chatbots help with mental health?

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World Mental Health Day: 5 simple tips to take charge of your mental health

Mental health burden on youth is reaching a tipping point. Is it too late?

AI therapy explained: Can chatbots help with mental health?