[ Dr Leeyir Ete ]
The theme of World Mental Health Day 2026, 'Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change', emphasises the importance of recognising the experiences of people living with mental health difficulties and ensuring that their perspectives shape the support and care they receive. This is particularly relevant to children and young people whose mental health needs are often understood and addressed from the perspectives of the adults around them.
Over the years, conversations around depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide prevention have become increasingly common in schools, colleges, and public discussions. Young people are encouraged to recognise psychological distress and seek help. However, their willingness to do so is often influenced by how they expect parents, teachers, and others around them to respond.
However, recognising psychological distress among students does not always translate into timely and appropriate support, as observed during school- and college-based mental health implementation work in Arunachal Pradesh. Interactions with principals, teachers, and other educational stakeholders have highlighted this challenge. Teachers and hostel wardens may notice changes in a student's behaviour, attendance, or academic performance. However, when professional assessment or intervention is recommended, institutions often depend on parental cooperation.
Educational stakeholders have highlighted this as a major challenge, particularly when parents do not recognise the seriousness of their child's condition or hesitate to seek professional help. This can leave institutes with limited options, even after identifying a high-risk student who requires immediate attention.
The situation can be more complex for students living in hostels or away from their families - a familiar reality for many young people pursuing education in Arunachal. Parents may not be aware of changes in their child's emotional wellbeing, while teachers and hostel authorities may only observe certain aspects of the difficulties they are experiencing. This makes communication and coordination between families and educational institutions especially important.
The role of families in recognising and responding to distress
These experiences highlight the influence of family relationships on mental health and help-seeking. In Arunachal, where family and community ties are often closely interconnected, young people may be particularly conscious of how their personal difficulties will be perceived by others. While these relationships can provide valuable emotional support, concerns about privacy and judgment may discourage some students from approaching teachers, counsellors, or even their own family members.
Family expectations can further shape how psychological distress is understood. Educational achievement, discipline, and securing stable employment are important aspirations in many households. Consequently, declining academic performance, withdrawal from family activities, or changes in behaviour may sometimes be attributed to laziness, excessive phone use, or a lack of motivation, rather than being recognised as possible signs of psychological distress.
Such responses do not necessarily reflect a lack of parental concern. Parents may genuinely want the best for their children but find it difficult to understand emotional experiences that differ from their own. Generational differences in how psychological difficulties are recognised, expressed, and discussed can contribute to these misunderstandings. For instance, a college student struggling with anxiety or emotional exhaustion may be reminded of the sacrifices made for their education or encouraged to concentrate on their studies. Although intended as motivation or reassurance, such responses may leave the young person feeling that their difficulties have been dismissed. When this happens repeatedly, they may become increasingly reluctant to share their concerns, even as their distress becomes more serious.
The family's response can also influence early identification, access to professional care, and recovery. For younger adolescents, seeking psychological assessment or counselling often requires parental involvement. Supportive families can encourage timely intervention and provide stability throughout recovery. Conversely, when psychological difficulties are dismissed or professional care is considered unnecessary, support may be delayed despite concerns already being identified by the educational institution.
Parental participation, therefore, needs to extend beyond providing consent or accompanying children to appointments. It also involves understanding their difficulties, responding sensitively when they express emotional distress, and providing continued support throughout treatment and recovery.
A collaborative approach to mental health support
These challenges call for closer coordination between families, educational institutions, and mental health services. Schools and colleges can identify concerns, provide initial support, and facilitate referrals, but cannot independently ensure continuity of care. Families, too, may require professional guidance to better understand and respond to their children's psychological difficulties.
Parent-teacher interactions could provide opportunities to discuss students' emotional and behavioural wellbeing alongside academic performance. Parents need practical information on recognising warning signs, responding sensitively to disclosures, and understanding when professional intervention may be necessary. Educational institutions, meanwhile, require clear procedures for maintaining confidentiality, involving families appropriately, and facilitating timely referrals. Teachers should be equipped to recognise distress and provide initial support without being expected to take on responsibilities that require professional mental health expertise.
Students' perspectives must also be considered when developing mental health programmes. What adults consider helpful may not always reflect what young people feel comfortable accessing. Their concerns about confidentiality, parental reactions, and being judged by others can influence whether they approach available support services. Understanding these concerns can help institutions develop systems that students feel more comfortable using.
Family involvement must also take into account each student's circumstances. Although parental support is often essential, not every young person experiences home as a safe or supportive environment. Where family conflict, abuse, or neglect is present, institutions must ensure that involving parents does not place the student at further risk, and that appropriate professional or child protection support is available.
As mental health initiatives expand across educational institutions in Arunachal, greater attention needs to be given to what happens after a student's psychological difficulties are recognised. The effectiveness of these programmes cannot be measured solely by the number of awareness sessions conducted, students reached, or teachers trained. It must also be reflected in whether students feel safe seeking help, whether families are able to respond appropriately, and whether identified concerns lead to timely and continued care.
The message of World Mental Health Day 2026 reminds us of the importance of listening to those experiencing psychological distress, as the response they receive when they first reach out can shape their willingness to seek help again. (The contributor is Research Scientist-II, Indian Council of Medical Research Project, AITS, RGU, Rono Hills)
