Mohammad Muslim
“Fear of stigma and breach of privacy prevents students from reaching out, even when help is desperately needed.”
Mental health, despite being a fundamental pillar of human well-being, continues to remain one of the most silenced and misunderstood subjects in Kashmir.
A mental taboo is not a formal clinical term, but it combines the concepts of mental processes and social taboos. It represents topics or feelings that individuals avoid thinking about consciously because they are deemed unacceptable, immoral, or anxiety-inducing according to societal norms.
When we look deeper into the context of mental health in Kashmir, it is rarely discussed openly here in the so-called paradise “Kashmir”.
Let’s first understand the mental state of students in Kashmir, which reflects how we think, feel and reflect, which shape our overall wellbeing.
According to WHO, mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life and can contribute to the wellness of the community.
In kashmir about 95.5% have experienced psychological trauma and 91% suffer from psychiatric problems. Mental health awareness is no longer optional; it is essential. Furthermore, in kashmir many still view mental illness as something shameful using terms like “pagal” (mad) in conversation. Breaking this taboo through awareness is crucial.
Students in Kashmir deal with a tripartite mental health challenge born out of interrelated environments. In this culture of stress, young adults are caught in the middle of day-to-day stressors from schoolwork, family and community. A common tendency in the educational setup of Kashmir is that its focus remains more on performance rather than well-being. Sometimes teachers mistake panic symptoms for disobedience and scold rather than support students.
Home: Heaven or Hell?
Home as a place of calmness and peace often become sources of additional stress. Students from disrupted families are often found to have lower mental health status.
Seeking help for mental concerns is still difficult for Kashmiri students. Why do students still fear reaching out? Many students feel seeking help as a sign of weakness; they have a fear of being called “pagal” (mad). This prevents open conversations.
Effective communication about mental health is built on trust. Unfortunately, when using services, a lot of students worry about privacy violations and unanticipated consequences. When school counsellors lack professional training, this fear becomes more intense. “When systems are weak, distress often goes unaddressed until it becomes severe”. According to one expert. In fact, the majority of campus counselling centres employ instructors who lack mental health training, rendering their services as worthless.
Mental health services: what’s missing? :
Kashmir has an 83% treatment gap and only 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 individuals. Rural parts of the country are especially underserved, and there is an increasing disparity in access. There are, of course, few mental health professionals out there in schools who are not also knee-deep in Medicaid or policy.
Solving the mental health problem in Kashmir requires realistic approaches at a number of levels, including institutional arrangements to ensure early intervention and community care.
How Schools Help with Early Support: Educational institutions are well-positioned to act as primary protectors against worsening mental wellness. A perfect example is the Guidance and Counselling Cell at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School (GGHSS) Pampore, which uses group meetings, one-on-one advising, and workshops to help students manage the pressure of schoolwork.
Kashmir University is working on a mental health learning plan designed specifically for local schools, showing they know teaching young people is a critical step in stopping problems before they start.
Friends Helping Friends and Secure Environments: Programs where classmates support one another are a cheap but successful way to encourage good relationships. In small towns where professional help isn’t always available, trained people from the community, can give simple advice and help people find the medical care they need, The Stand for Kashmiri Youth (SKY)
Making the Most of Mental Health Days and Awareness Month: Rather than just holding single-day events, mental health days should be part of larger, ongoing awareness plans. For example, UNICEF’s Child Friendly Spaces which are located in 200 places throughout In Kashmir, consistently provide mental health care, assisting children like Nabeel who has gone through difficult episodes and made him return to learning.
After all, mental health is as important and deserves care as much as physical health. Life is not without its challenges and at times, some of these can feel too heavy to handle alone. It is important that we talk freely and share our feelings, and ask for help whenever it is needed. To seek help is a strength not weakness. We can make little steps towards improving our mental well-being. Practising kindness to ourselves, staying connected with family and friends, and finding healthy ways to manage stress can help us build resilience.
All of these small habits can make a big difference in how we feel and handle situations. Remember, everybody’s journey with their mental health is different. There is no one right way to manage it, and it is okay to struggle. The important thing to know and remember is that support is available, and good days are possible. By creating a culture of understanding and kindness, we can help each other heal and grow. A healthy mind leads to a happier life, for ourselves and our communities.
Writer is a student and can be reached at mdmuslimbhat@gmail.com
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