Editorial 1: Mental health in India’s material world

Context

The theme of World Mental Health Day (October 10) this year is about ‘prioritising mental health in the workplace’. India is facing a mental health epidemic, with the urban living, financial instability and fierce competition as significant contributors.

 

Introduction

In July this year, the case of a 26-year-old woman executive working for a multinational consulting firm, ending her life due to immense work pressures moved the spotlight to an important issue that concerns millions of working Indians. In September, a 38-year-old software engineer with 15 years of experience in a Chennai-based firm, ended his life. He was on medication for depression caused by work stress. Despite their “successful” careers, the loss of these lives underscores a growing mental health crisis in India, where success is often equated with relentless productivity and material wealth. These events reveal the struggles many face such as battling depression, anxiety, and a lack of purpose even as they put up a facade of success and contentment. 

 

Mental Health Crisis in India

• Surge in Mental Health Disorders in India: According to The Lancet Psychiatry Commission, over 197 million people suffer from conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
• Economic growth and societal pressures: has created new opportunities, but it has also intensified societal pressures and personal expectations.
  • As India’s developmental aspirations rise, mental well-being is often overlooked, fuelling a crisis driven by materialism and a growing disconnect from community and self-awareness. 
• Existential questions and Self-Reflection: that have guided human thought since the times of Socrates and Aristotle such as: Who am I? What is the purpose of my life? How should I live? Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”, highlighting the need for self-reflection.
  • Aristotle linked the good life to eudaimonia — flourishing through virtuous living.
• Impact of consumerism: Today, these essential inquiries are overshadowed by the pursuit of efficiency, productivity and material wealth.
  • As India embraces consumerism, this focus on affluence distances individuals from deeper self-reflection, exacerbating the mental health crisis. 

 

Rising stress and anxiety 

• Mental Health epidemic in India: The relentless pressures of urban living, financial instability, and fierce competition are significant contributors.
• Illusion of material success: Even those who achieve material success often find that wealth and status do not deliver true well-being.
  • Instead, many feel isolated and disconnected from their communities, experiencing a profound sense of purposelessness.
• Temporary comfort vs. Deeper needs: While material wealth provides temporary comfort, it fails to meet deeper emotional and psychological needs.
• The growing focus on consumerism, particularly in urban areas, has fostered a culture where luxury and conspicuous goods define status.
• Negative impact of Consumerism:  This leads to feelings of inadequacy, stress and social comparison.
  •  As Ernest Becker noted, much of human behaviour is driven by the fear of impermanence and insignificance.
• Hunger for social validation: People chase material wealth for social validation, hoping it will bring lasting happiness, but this pursuit neglects self-awareness.
• The endless quest for affluence disconnects individuals from the essential elements of a meaningful life — self-awareness, purpose, and meaningful relationships — trapping them in a cycle of dissatisfaction. 
• Rebuilding a good life: To break this cycle, we must rethink what constitutes a good life.
  • Current political and economic priorities reinforce the belief that wealth and consumption equate to happiness.
  • This mindset shapes societal norms, encouraging consumption-driven choices that further entrench the mental health crisis. 

 

Collective action, community as solutions 

• Shifting focus to collective well-being: To address this crisis, we must shift focus from individual success to collective well-being.
  • Studies show that strong social connections, supportive communities, and meaningful work are critical to mental health.
• Threats to Work-Life Balance: However, work-life balance and legal protection are increasingly under threat.
  • The socio-political climate in India, where young individuals desperately strive for a consumeristic “good life”, has led to proposals such as extended work hours.
  • For instance, the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2024 permits employees to work more than 12 hours a day, up to 125 hours in three months.
• Community and its importance: Amid rapid urbanisation and personal achievement, it is essential to remind ourselves of the deeper meaning and purpose in life that can be found through community, joy, and friendship. Examples from other countries offer lessons.
  • In Brazil, community gardens have helped residents reconnect by sharing responsibilities and fostering a sense of belonging.
  • Similar initiatives in India could counteract the isolation fostered by urban living and consumerism, bringing people together to create stronger social bonds. 
• Embracing community-oriented living: Improving mental health requires embracing community-oriented living that challenges the individualised lifestyle promoted by consumer culture.
  •  Modern consumerism equates freedom with personal consumption, weakening social bonds that traditionally held communities together.
  • In contrast, community living fosters a sustainable alternative — shared responsibility, collective purpose, and mutual support create an environment that nurtures emotional and psychological well-being.
• Benefits of community living:  In community settings, people share resources and experiences, reducing the pressure to compete for individual success.
  • This strengthens social support networks and reintroduces the value of interdependence, where well-being is measured by relationships and contributions to the group rather than personal wealth.
  •  Unlike the isolation and comparison promoted by consumer culture, community living fosters empathy, mindfulness, and human connection, providing fulfilment through shared experiences.
• Fostering connection over isolation: These environments offer a sense of belonging, purpose, and security, all of which are crucial for reducing stress and mental health issues. 

 

Consumer choice and liberty 

• Reduction of freedom to consumer choice as a contributor to India’s mental health crisis: As India’s middle class expands, many equate their ability to buy goods with personal freedom and success.
  • However, this perspective prioritises material wealth over deeper values such as equality and fraternity.
  • The result is a society where happiness is measured by buying power, leading to an endless cycle of consumption that does little to improve long-term mental health. 
• Effects of consumer choice on feelings on inadequacy: By reducing freedom to consumer choice, individuals feel growing inadequacy, unable to meet rising standards of success.

 

Way Forward

• Building relations: Prioritising connection, community, and equity provides a healthier foundation for both personal well-being and societal progress. 

• Rethinking the notion of success :We must challenge the materialistic notion of success and refocus on mental, emotional, and social well-being.
  • The solution lies in adopting alternative pathways that prioritise community and collective action over individual wealth accumulation. 
• Awareness Programmes: that promote mindfulness, social-emotional learning, community living, and mental health awareness are essential for creating a culture that values mental well-being. Additionally, social policies that reduce inequality and provide mental health support are crucial to address the crisis. 

 

Conclusion

A truly good life is not about how much we can buy or achieve, but about how we relate to ourselves, our communities, and our environment. By prioritising community, equity, and mental well-being, we can build a healthier, more connected society where people feel supported and valued. Only by addressing the root causes of the mental health crisis can we pave the way for a more meaningful and fulfilling future for all.

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Editorial 2: Transform workplaces into supportive spaces

 

Context

The theme of World Mental Health Day (October 10) this year is about ‘prioritising mental health in the workplace’. The belief system where success is tied to a brutal work culture needs to be phased out.

 

Introduction

In recent years, a troubling trend has emerged in several countries: a rise in suicides among young professionals, frequently attributed to overwhelming stress and tension at the workplace. This crisis underscores the increasing strain caused by excessive work, reminiscent of the Japanese term ‘karoshi’, which translates to ‘death from overwork’.

• In 2023, 2,900 people in Japan ended their lives due to overwork.
• What was once a term specific to Japan has now found resonance in other parts of the world, especially as the relentless drive for profit and productivity continues to overshadow mental health, personal well-being, and even human lives.
• A Statista report on suicide among Indian professionals in the private sector for the year 2022 puts the number as 11,486.

 

A competitive economy 

• Reason for brutal suicide: The reason behind this brutal work culture is clear: profit.
• Pressure on employees: In today’s competitive economy, businesses focus on cost-cutting, efficiency and productivity.
  • As a result, employees come under immense pressure to meet unrealistic expectations, often working long hours and under strenuous conditions.
  • Many organisations have adopted a belief system where success is tied to a “hustle and bustle” culture, assuming that perpetual activity will lead to better results. 
• Historical context of work obsession: This mindset is not new. Some scholars believe that the roots of this work obsession can be traced back to Max Weber’s influential work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which links hard work with moral virtue.
  • According to Weber, success and diligence were not just signs of professional capability, but of moral worth.
  • Today, unfortunately, this ethos thrives in high-stakes industries such as technology, finance and law, where not just hard work but also overwork is celebrated and even glorified.
  • The consequences are devastating. 
• Gruelling work environments: Cognitive dissonance theory, a psychological concept, helps explain how employers justify this gruelling work environment.
  •  Once overwork becomes normalised, employers may rationalise it as beneficial or even essential for organisational growth.
• Distorted views on employee performance: From a business standpoint, the belief often emerges that pushing employees to their limits will filter out the “weak” and reward the “strong”, fostering a culture of hyper-competition.
  • However, this distorted view ignores the steep human cost. Chronic stress leads to burnout, anxiety, depression, and, tragically, suicide in some cases. 

 

Importance of employee well-being 

• Myopic understanding of work and success: prevents companies from considering alternative models that prioritise employee well-being, although research has consistently shown that happier employees are more productive.
• The Human Relations Movement: which began in the early 20th century, underscored the importance of employee satisfaction in improving organisational efficiency.
  • This perspective has slowly regained traction today, as more companies are embracing flexible work hours, mental health initiatives and policies to promote work-life balance.
  • The challenge now is to move beyond profit maximisation to a long-term view that treats human capital as a core asset. 

 

Recommendations for Employers

• Stress Management: The first step for companies is to reassess their work culture and expectations.
  • Employers should reduce excessive working hours, offer flexible schedules, and embrace remote work when possible.
• Psychological Support: Studies have shown that employees with more control over their schedules report higher job satisfaction and reduced stress levels.
  • Encouraging regular breaks and vacations is also vital in preventing burnout.
  • Equally important is providing psychological support.
  • Companies should invest in employee assistance programmes and ensure that mental health professionals are accessible.
  • Psychological research has proven that early intervention can dramatically reduce the long-term effects of workplace stress.
• Fostering Open Conversations: It is also crucial to foster open conversations around mental health, eliminating the stigma that often surrounds seeking help. 

 

Focus on work quality 

• Role of supervisors and managers: Supervisors and managers are pivotal to driving this transformation.
  • They must be trained to recognise signs of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion or disengagement, and intervene before problems escalate.
• Importance of  mental health culture: A culture where mental health check-ins are routine and stress management is prioritised can create a healthier and more sustainable workforce.
• Shifting focus to quality: companies should shift their focus away from measuring productivity solely based on the quantity of time spent or deadlines met.
  •  Instead, performance metrics should emphasise the quality of work.
  • This approach would help create an environment where output is valued for its depth and impact rather than sheer volume.
• Debunking myths of constant busyness: Lastly, the deeply ingrained myth that constant busyness equates to productivity must be debunked. A balanced and sustainable work culture benefits employees and their organisations.
• Setting realistic expectations: Employers should set realistic expectations, and employees must feel empowered to set boundaries around their work hours.
  • This includes saying “no” when workloads become unmanageable, a daunting but necessary step in maintaining mental health. 

 

Conclusion

The issue of workplace stress is both societal and personal. Addressing it requires collective effort. While employees can build resilience through mindfulness, regular exercise and strong social support networks, seeking professional help should never be delayed when stress becomes overwhelming. Employers and employees must take concrete steps to break the cycle of overwork and promote a culture that values holistic well-being. Only by doing so can we achieve sustainable productivity and a future where life is valued above profit.

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