More than half of all individuals seeking mental healthcare live with psychological distress for over a year before accessing clinical help, while 56.2% report experiencing thoughts of self-harm, according to a report released by mental health provider Amaha.
The findings, published in the Amaha Mental Health Report 2026, were compiled from clinical data and self-assessments of 13,825 respondents across India evaluated between October 2025 and September 2026.
High incidence of self-harm thoughts among students
The study identifies significant variation in severe emotional distress across demographic and occupational groups:
Students: Recorded the highest vulnerability, with 71.7% of students seeking care reporting thoughts of self-harm.
Unemployed individuals: 64.7% reported self-harm ideation.
Working professionals: 53.2% reported experiencing self-harm thoughts.
Dr. Amit Malik, Founder and CEO of Amaha, emphasized that the data reflects individuals actively seeking professional care on the platform rather than the broader general population.
