r/IndiaMentalHealth

I have no clue what I'm doing with my life anymore. I want to earn money and become financially independent, but I'm currently doing a BAMS degree and I have absolutely no interest in it. I don't understand anything that's taught, I don't feel like studying, and it honestly just feels like I'm wasting my time.

It's been 1.5 years already. I'm only doing this because of my parents. They wanted me to have a degree. I argued with them when I first got admitted and told them I didn't want to do it, but they kept saying, "Just complete the degree, then do whatever you want."

Now I feel completely stuck. My mental health has gotten really bad. I don't even know what I want to do anymore or what I'm interested in. I have no idea what my future looks like or what career I'll end up pursuing. I'm just confused, lost, and exhausted. Has anyone else been in a similar situation? How did you figure things out?

21M, I am suffocating please help. It has been 5 long years man. I was a very bright student, excellent memory, quick thinking, witty and healthy physically and mentally. In 2021-23 I was preparing for a highly competitive exam, I wasn't pressured for it. It was something that I wanted to do. Those two years were hell, isolating and depressing. I think the deterioration started sometime in that period. Poor memory, sluggish brain etc. Cut to present,I can't even remember the details but now I am in my 3rd year. I will cut to current details of lifestyle I have led. 2021-23 poor sleep , unbalanced diet, got prescription glasses (myopic), I did not know the permanent effects of poor sleep, overweight, no physical exercise. My sleep schedule has been off since then I cannot manage to sleep before 12 and wake up early. I have no passion for my field which ironically I *passionately* chose, short attention span, I have to reread sentences to make sense of them, calculation speed fell off. I genuinely do not remember what I have studied at all in school , factual information type things. I take long time to memorise and my brain constantly feels foggy even after getting more than enough sleep now. I can only describe the fogginess as imagine you used to have good vision but now all you can see is blurry images. Its downright depressing even more since I know for a fact that I can perform so much better than this. My social interactions are not good. Like when people talk to me I really cannot think and answer them, so most of the conversations I have is just acknowledging their points and yes, no and total npc conversation. I really used to be witty and quick to answer. I rarely have dreams when I sleep, long time screen time and even after that I struggle to remember what i have been watching. Even in movies I feel like I lag and it has been frustrating. Only when I drink heavy caffeine do only I get some moments of how I used to be. I have spiraled into habit of masturbating on daily basis(I have tried to cutback but not much, I still lapse within 2-3 days max) I feel tired and sleepy even after I have woken up from sleep (8-10 hrs). I genuinely can't remember details of 1-2 weeks back or even 2-3 days back. My memory works by association now , I have to associate or actively think about the things I want to remember. As a student this really impedes my learning. My peers and friends remember things from 1-2 years back so accurately and I struggle to remember things from yesterday. At some point I really thought that I have some sort of amnesia.

Sadly this has also affected my mental health severely. I cannot cry in funerals because I have forgotten a large chunk of memories with loved ones. Some days I find myself thinking if I would even remember my mom, would i even be able to recreate/ remember her face, what about my other loved ones and cry over this.

I was convinced that it was some sort of permanent damage until I researched it more thoroughly. Though I can't change what has happened but now I have to take the wheel back. Currently my lifestyle looks like this- I sleep at 1-2 am, at best wake up around 10. I try to work/study but only get a fraction of productivity. Instantly forget what I learned a week back unless I start associating which is very slow. I live in hot/humid country, high pollution, veg diet + dairy(no eggs) + high carbs fat diet . I frequently miss breakfast. I exercise moderately. High screen time but that might be because of work. I am going to go for a blood test, what nutrients should I exactly check for and what amends and how can they be achieved. I want my fast brain back, it feels like that I am still sleeping. I do not want to sleep anymore.

this happened today and I’m still processing it.

I had my earphones in. Not really in the mood to chat, just wanted to workout. But this guy at my gym kept trying to talk. More of I just want to talk to someone.. Small talk at first, where you from, how long you been coming here. I kept taking my earphones out because he kept trying to engage with me but by asking me questions.

Eventually he asks what I do. I tell him I’m a therapist.

He says something like therapy is for people who couldn’t handle the “strokes” of life. People who can’t take it. I was confused and I asked him that strokes? He said yeah people who couldn’t handle the tension and stress. ( tbh I was literally relieved at this point that thank god, he didn’t actually mean strokes )

I’ve been doing this for 5-6 years now. Over 5000 hours between private practice, corporate consulting, group sessions, training programs.

And here’s the thing I can’t stop thinking about. I didn’t push back. I got curious instead. Asked him why he felt that way, what shaped that view. Some mix of instinct and actual empathy kicked in before I could even decide what I wanted to do.

Was I offended? Yes. Did I still choose to understand him instead of correcting him? Also yes, more than I was offended

Now I keep going back and forth. Did I do the empathetic thing because that’s genuinely who I am, or did I use empathy as a shield so I didn’t have to have an uncomfortable conversation defending my own profession?

Hi everyone, I'm looking for recommendations for a therapist or psychologist in Mumbai region who has experience helping with trauma, betrayal, family dysfunction, and emotional overwhelm. I'm looking for someone who is compassionate, non-judgmental, and reasonably priced. If you've had a positive personal experience or know someone you would recommend, I'd really appreciate your suggestions. Thankyou!

This is a throw away account. I 26 (F) don't know why I'm writing this. Maybe because I don't know where else to put these thoughts.

Lately, I've been feeling like I've lost myself completely. I don't recognize the person I used to be. I feel empty, numb, and tired all the time.

I keep thinking about all the opportunities I wasted. I had dreams. I wanted a simple life a stable job, to take care of my parents, to make them proud. They gave me everything they could, and I wanted to give even half of that back. Instead, I feel like I'm disappointing them and myself.

There are moments when I think, "I wish I had never existed." Not because I hate my parents or my life, but because I'm so exhausted by constantly feeling like I'm failing.

I've lost confidence in myself. I don't believe in my abilities anymore. Every setback feels like proof that maybe I'm just not good enough.

I miss the version of me that had hope. I miss waking up with purpose. Now every day feels like I'm just existing instead of living.

I don't want luxury or fame. I never did. I just wanted a peaceful, ordinary life where I could earn honestly, support my family, and feel like I belonged somewhere.

If anyone has ever felt like this and somehow found their way back, I'd really like to know how.

Looking for recommendations for an experienced psychologist/therapist in Delhi for my mom (60+). Prefer someone who offers both in-person and online sessions. Ideally looking for a middle-aged or senior therapist, as I feel they’d be better suited to understand and communicate with her. Personal recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hey everyone so what happens to me is that if i overthink a lot about a certain thing my overthinking turns into anxiety and then I feel restless, heaviness in my chest , can't sleep due to this heaviness, lose the desire to eat, everything seems worthless

This lasts for 2-3 days max and then my mind settles down until I overthink again. So is it normal or should I consult a psychologist

Feeling lost, disconnected, and anxious — like I’ve lost my own voice

I don’t really know how to explain this except that I feel stuck. Not sad in an obvious way, just… disconnected. Like I’m going through the motions without actually feeling present in my own life.

I have anxiety that shows up hard around specific situations — enough that it gets in the way of things I actually want to do. I know I’m capable of more, but somehow that knowledge doesn’t translate into confidence when it matters. I keep underselling myself, in almost every part of my life, even when I know I’m doing real work.

I’m also isolated right now. The people around me don’t really understand what I’m trying to build for myself, and I don’t have anyone I feel emotionally close to. It’s a strange kind of loneliness — surrounded by people, but still feeling completely unseen.

Some days it’s just fog and exhaustion. Other days it tips into something heavier, like anger at myself for not being “further along” than I am, even though I know that’s not fair to myself.

If anyone’s been in a similar place — lost, anxious, disconnected, lonely all at once — how did you start finding your way out of it? Even small things that helped would mean a lot right now.

I went to psychiatrists but the meds prescribed are always same that causes lethargy, low mood, suicidal thoughts.
Ik I need help but idk where to find help.
Anything is appreciated:)

r/mentalhealth
r/mentalhealthsupport
r/Anxiety
r/DepressionSupport

Conventionally attractive women as per Indian society still never had any romantic experience

Hi , I am a 20 yo women who has never been in a relationship, I am conventionally attractive as per the Indian society I had to tell this before saying that I am single , I have al the features that are considered cute or feminine just not my personality, I was a tomboy , I am the one making nasty jokes all the time , I am not considered fragile or soft , I had financial difficulties growing up ,my first job was at 16 Now im doing my bachelors with a night shift job , I never experienced a guy liking me and I liking him back the reason i think is prosperity, I mu personality and life miserable I think men usually wanna date a happy women not the one struggling deprived of love , I have never experienced love, not from parents or grandparents or anyone , I don't trust anyone, I have been completely self independent or survival since a year , and everyone at some point had someon who liked them or been in a relationship, I think to get love you need to be loved as well . What do you think lmk , i used dating apps for a year Never had a guy put efforts in me who was sane

I fear i want enough . Other person deserve better and also this that. I might not able to find such good person in my life but religion difference . Very numb this point of time. Mere hee sath hona h yeh sab😭😭😭😭😭

Is Reddit type platforms are good for Mental Health?

I see everyday millions of comms posted on this platform and wonder how much this damage people Mental Health doing this everyday and so much time consuming from their daily busy time including family time……Give your life or comment if you have similar thoughts or any additional comments. I am sure this all social media stress will be understood by next generation to spend life and time better meaningful ways than spending where it’s more like waste, stress, reading abusive behavior and comments etc than usefulness

Hey everyone,

I’ve been dealing with panic disorder, health anxiety, and a lot of death related worries for a while now. It’s been pretty rough and I finally decided to get proper help. I’m starting Zoloft soon and my doctor also suggested therapy alongside it. I really want to do structured CBT (not just general talking) because I’ve read it works well for panic and health anxiety.

I’m inclined towards virtual sessions. I’m looking for someone who actually does proper CBT exposure work, thought challenging, homework between sessions, that kind of thing. Preferably an RCI-registered clinical psychologist who has experience with panic disorder and health anxiety.

I’ve seen mixed reviews about some of the big platforms, so I’m a bit cautious. Would really appreciate any genuine recommendations either specific therapists you’ve had a good experience with, or platforms that actually felt structured and helpful for similar issues.

Also open to DMs if you don’t want to comment publicly.

Thanks in advance. This is a big step for me and I want to make sure I find the right person.

I just use food to sooth myself. It's been 6 years since I've been trying to fix my life. Now that I am independent at 24 i still spend most of my money on food. Like really junk food. I can't afford to pay this much. I just can't help me

I don't no. I feel suicidal all the time. I am just in a new place physically but mentally nothing has changed these years.

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TLDR: I (26F) grew up as a parentified child, acting as the emotional mediator and therapist for my parents' violent, turbulent marriage. This trauma caused chronic severe depression and ADHD, which I manage entirely alone while navigating college. In March, my parents neglected my sick cat's medical needs to attend a wedding, leading to his tragic death. I cut contact out of grief, but recently discovered my parents deeply resent me, view me as malicious, and think I only tolerate them for financial support. I am completely broken, isolated, and questioning my own reality after a lifetime of sacrificing myself for them.

I have grown up as a parentified child to a chaotic household. My parents have had a turbulent marriage since the very start and had me with an year of marriage and my brother two years later.

Ever since I can remember I have been a mediator to my parents' marriage. In retrospect these are two very traumatised individuals with unresolved childhood issues that became adults, leaving others, specially me to deal with the fallout. They individually have no friends to confide in, and didn't have a close relationship with either of their parents. So I played the role of the mediator, confidant and therapist to both my parents since ever I can remember. Now, I am not saying I had an absolute bad childhood, I have been raised really well. When things were good, they were really good, but when they were bad...The thing is the fights got so violent that my mother would attempt self harm, my father would be delirious. Idk man, bad. Household just came to a standstill. They would be in different rooms in a dark house and nobody cooked. I would try to cook and feed my brother and myself. As I grew up and tried to take care of my brother and my parents, my mother would accuse me of trying to act too smart (as a child, mind you). As I grew up, it turned into:  I manipulate the family into fights because that is the only time I get attention.

Growing up, I was an exceptional child (won't go into details) but it had to fall apart, right? In 10th grade, I had my first nervous breakdown, have been dealing with chronic severe depression since then. I had been on multiple antidepressants since 2019 and might be approaching a diagnosis of treatment resistant depression. In 2024, I got diagnosed with significant ADHD and got medicated. All through my treatment journey, I had to be the one advocating for treatments I need (dif story).  Now, I show up at a doctor's appointment every alternate month, alone, in queue since 4am, in a city 3h flight away, take my meds, show up at therapy, do everything in anything, even after the fight in me died long back. I don't know why I do it. I dropped out of a degree in 2023, made a field switch, got into a new degree in 2024, live alone, manage everything except finances (my family is comfortable, and this is the only support they have provided, tbh). And I am actually doing decent, academically.

Fast forward to now, my family still isn't happy with my progress, and now in the past year my anger towards my unfair childhood has become vocal they say I try to hide my failure by blaming them. I have been begging for them to talk to me, call me atleast once a day since last winter (I get seasonal depression too), but it all falls to deaf ears and when I lashed out, I was the bad guy, they said "you find satisfaction in hurting people" . In March, my cat the lived with them fell ill. The light of my life. I begged them to take him to the hospital, father was out of town, mother said she had cold and where will she find a driver? I got mad and told her you find a vehicle to go shopping.... After hours, she took him. He got diagnosed with FIP, the vet recommended to wait for a day before IV cause my cat got aggressive. When I called my Father, he said " Could the doctor keep him for a couple of days? We have to attend a wedding". I begged them to not go, offered to travel back home, but no. The next day they took him on an 8h road trip, pushing ors with a syringe into his mouth. I kept begging them to take him to a vet but they kept fooling themselves with he is drinking. The next day my baby died under very tragic circumstances.

I stopped talking to my parents after that. Completely. My mental health just crumbled. I won't go into details but I was completely isolated. Summer breaks. I was expected nowhere. Had I died in my apartment, nobody would have known, cause nobody was looking for me. In June, I finally started talking a bit to them, and today I found out that they have absolute hatred for me. They have this thought that if they "bow down" infront of me, I would step on their throats -- this is what my dad told my mom after I stopped talking to my parents after my cat passed away. Apparently, the only reason I don't harm them is because I am dependant on them. I am completely broken. I spent my entire life holding together this "Family", what is left is being spent recovering and dealing with multiple chronic illnesses and I have nobody. I just... I dunno. I have constantly failed in love. I am not an easy person to be with, I understand. But the past 4 months have crushed me. Throughout my treatment my doctors and therapist kept urging me to distance myself emotionally from my family but all I said is " I am all they have and nobody deserves to be alone towards the end of their lives, we have so little time". But the past 4 months? I don't know, maybe I am delusional that I have been supporting them. Maybe I truly am the problem?

Dm if you can help!

Hello everyone,

I’m looking for a therapist that can help me through this journey I’m on - basically, I quit my extremely toxic and first corporate job last month that I believe has left a whole lot of trauma and am preparing for UPSC now so that’s something that needs stress management on its own. I have been diagnosed with OCD in the past and there’s a couple of other things that I don’t feel like mentioning here. I am very lonely, just my boyfriend and I, no friends or anything. I just need some long term support. When I tried this the last time, I had a terrible experience which felt like the therapist was just trying to hurry me out and get my other family members under their advisory.
I wasn’t planning on this but I keep seeing these reels and posts on social media that depict therapists being so fun and easy to talk to that I want to give it a try again!

I would really appreciate any recommendations. Budget is a bit of constraint since I mentioned I don’t have a job currently but if everything seems great I am willing to adjust.

Thanks again!

I grew up in a financially comfortable family, but the home environment was always chaotic. My father has a terrible temper, drinks heavily, has cheated on my mother multiple times over the years, and somehow manages to blame everyone around him for every problem. Growing up, there was constant shouting, emotional abuse, intimidation, and occasionally physical violence.

For most of my life, I thought this was just normal family dysfunction and that I needed to be tougher.

In 2018, I moved to the US for my MBA. Looking back, that was probably the happiest and most confident period of my life. I built a career, made friends, felt independent, and generally felt like a functioning adult.

Earlier this year, my wife and I moved back to India. We had been together for years, recently got married, and genuinely believed things would be different now that everyone was older. I left a good-paying job because I thought I was coming back for family and to help build something meaningful together.

Instead, everything seems worse.

The fighting at home never stopped. My father openly admits that the conflict between him and my mother has been going on for 30+ years and says it will continue. He has taken away my mother's phone before, monitors the house with cameras, and reacts aggressively whenever anyone challenges him.

When I told him I was struggling mentally, hadn't slept properly for days, and asked him for guidance, his response was basically that this is how things are and that I should learn to ignore it.

The weird part is that I don't think he's a cartoon villain. I genuinely think he believes he wants the best for his family. But he also needs to control everything. If we make plans without involving him, he gets angry. If we suggest living separately, he reacts with shouting, verbal abuse, and banging things around the house.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with is my own mental state.

I feel like I've lost confidence in myself. I have severe brain fog. I overthink every decision. I used to be outgoing and social, and now even simple conversations feel exhausting. Part of me wonders whether I've always been like this and just didn't realize it. Another part of me wonders if decades of living in this environment have finally caught up with me.

My wife is a real gem of a person. She has grown in a "normal" household and never seen something like this. We have known each other for 10+ years and got married 1 year back. She has been incredibly supportive through all of this, but I feel guilty that she's now stuck dealing with a situation she never created.

I guess I'm posting because I want to know if anyone else grew up in a household like this and what happened when you finally left. Did your mental health actually improve? Did the brain fog and constant anxiety get better? Did you ever stop feeling responsible for keeping the family together?

I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads and can't tell whether I'm seeing the situation clearly or whether years of family conditioning have completely messed with my ability to judge what's normal anymore.

Why do so many privileged people insist they aren't privileged?

This is something I've genuinely never understood.

I often see people who are able to go on solo trips at 18, regularly go café hopping, have their rent, bills, education, clothes, and other expenses covered by their family, yet they still describe themselves as "middle class" or say they "built everything through hard work."

Even people like Elon Musk have described themselves as having a middle-class upbringing, despite having opportunities and resources that most people simply don't have.

What confuses me is that acknowledging privilege doesn't erase hard work. You can work incredibly hard and still have advantages that other people don't.

To me, if your basic living expenses are taken care of, if you have financial security, if you can travel, eat out frequently, or pursue hobbies without constantly worrying about money, those are privileges. They may not make someone "rich," but they do provide opportunities that many others don't have.

So why is it so difficult for people to acknowledge that? Why do so many people seem uncomfortable admitting they had advantages?

I'm genuinely curious to hear different perspectives. Is it because "privilege" has become associated with guilt? Do people have a different definition of privilege? Or is there something I'm missing?

I don't know why I feel nothing. I mean , i achieve something it doesn't matter or happiness sttays for very short time, feeling happy makes me feel that if I get happy more, thing that is making me happy would fade away and will never come back, and I won't be able to get feel joy.

From past few years I don't know why between my chest, there is nothing, it's like there is emptiness, a hole, a very deep dark hole and I can also feel the weight of it on my chest.

I started losing my friends at 12 , and they are also the reason for me being like this, the friends I am talking about are physically present but talking to them feels like bucket of those memories and sadness is feeling upon me.

At childhood, everyone said that I talked a lot but now I rarely speek. Mostly answers in one word or sentence or just nod. When I was younger like 2 an and 3rd class, I used to my school with auto, the auto driver scolded and sometimes beat me a little for talking with others in that auto, that not the only reason i choose to be silent, every mistake word from my mouth , people were there to point it out, there was no one who said, "koi baat nhi baccha hai"except my brother. I learnt silence kept people closer to me than talking to them.

Then in class 9th i went to coaching classes, i made another friend but I constantly stoped being comfortable with him or being over friendly because I would loose him too,but one I was assured about him, I told my majority of my things to him. But he wasn't like that. For me he was the one but for him I was the one from many he had. He kept secret. I just wanted one friend, who didn't lie to me don't keep secrets, like I don't. Because of this I don't even like to share any of my information like name, etc.

I was loved for my marks, but those marks seperated me from my friends.

Now I have no one to talk too, all that mental pressure, academic pressure, family expectations. I don't feel like eating anymore.

I am an 18 yrs old Indian boy.