Why is India facing such a serious mental health crisis? Are anxiety, depression and suicide simply individual struggles, or are family pressure, social inequality and workplace stress making the problem worse?

In this conversation, Raj Mariwala, Leading Mental Health Advocate and Director of the Mariwala Health Initiative, explores India's mental health challenges, from student suicides and academic pressure to workplace stress, discrimination and why therapy alone isn't enough.

Raj shares their personal experience of growing up neurodivergent, living with anxiety and being diagnosed with a learning disability at 21. They explain how family expectations, poverty, unemployment and social environments shape mental well-being and why India needs to look beyond conventional approaches to mental healthcare.

The conversation also explores LGBTQ+ mental health, founder stress and how community-led support can make mental healthcare more accessible and inclusive.

The conversation also explores:

• How family pressure and academic stress contribute to student suicides
• Why more therapists alone cannot solve India's mental healthcare gap
• The impact of poverty, unemployment and social inequality on mental health
• How workplace stress and fear of failure affect entrepreneurs and business leaders
• The mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities
• How the Mariwala Health Initiative is making mental healthcare more accessible
• Why peer support and community care matter
• Practical ways families, employers and individuals can support better mental health

Watch the full conversation to explore the deeper issues behind India's mental health crisis, why traditional approaches fall short and how families, workplaces and communities can make a difference.