India's Youth Mental Health Crisis: Global Study Reveals Alarming 60th Rank
A comprehensive global mental health study for 2025 has placed young adults in India at a concerning 60th position out of 84 countries, highlighting a severe mental well-being crisis among the nation's youth. The 'Global Mind Health in 2025' report, released by US-based Sapien Labs, surveyed over 78,000 internet-enabled individuals in India, uncovering not only poor scores for those aged 18-34 but also a profound generational divide, with older adults faring significantly better.
Stark Generational Gap in Mental Well-being
The study assigned young Indian adults a low mind health quotient (MHQ) score of 33, which contrasts sharply with an MHQ score of 96 for individuals aged 55 and above. This older group ranks 49th globally, aligning with normal mental function, while the younger cohort's performance indicates serious struggles. Researchers describe this disparity as a "structural, multi-year generational shift" in mental well-being, suggesting it extends beyond temporary effects like the pandemic.
Tara Thiagarajan, founder and chief scientist at Sapien Labs, emphasized the severity: "The scores reflect a very steep decline in younger generations - steeper than many other countries globally. While those aged 55+ are doing fine, younger adults are seriously struggling." She attributed this decline to factors such as increased toxic load in the environment from air, water, and food, along with a lack of physical activity.
Beyond Anxiety and Depression: A Broader Crisis
The mental health crisis among India's youth goes beyond common issues like anxiety and depression, reflecting a broader reduction in core mental functioning. This includes diminished abilities to:
- Regulate emotions effectively
- Maintain focus and concentration
- Build stable and meaningful relationships
- Recover from stress and adversity
The study identifies four key drivers of mental health based on previous years' data, which show significant differences between generations in India:
- Family Bonds: Only 64% of young adults (18-34) report being close to their family, compared to 78% of those over 55.
- Spirituality: While not quantified in detail, this factor plays a role in overall mental well-being.
- Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food (UPF): Regular UPF consumption is 44% among young adults, substantially higher than the 11% in the older generation.
- Early Exposure to Smartphones: The average age for a first smartphone in India is 16.5 years, with earlier exposure linked to increased mental health risks, especially for Gen Alpha.
Global Context and Implications
Globally, the study found that young adults in economically developed countries struggle more with mental health than those in less developed nations. Countries at the bottom of the rankings include Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the UK, and China, while nations with relatively better mind health are predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Interestingly, Finland, which consistently tops the World Happiness Index, ranks 28th for mind health in those 55+ and 40th for those 18-34. This indicates that satisfaction with life circumstances is distinct from the mental capacity to navigate challenges, as measured by the MHQ metric.
The mind health quotient aggregates respondent ratings of 47 cognitive, emotional, social, and physical capacities and problems, reflecting a person's fundamental mental capacity to function effectively. This study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address the mental health crisis among India's youth, focusing on lifestyle factors and social support systems.
