Mental health experts and healthcare professionals on Thursday stressed the need to break stigma, encourage open conversations and strengthen community participation to promote mental well-being and ensure timely access to support.
Speaking at a conference organised by the Illness to Wellness Foundation ahead of World Mental Health Day, experts said mental health should be treated as a broader public health priority, with greater focus on prevention, early intervention and accessible support systems.
Prof Rajinder K Dhamija, director of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), said there was still considerable stigma around mental health and people should be encouraged to seek professional help without fear of judgement.
“Mental health cannot be addressed only through clinical and curative medicine; prevention and wellness are equally important,” Dhamija said, adding that families, institutions and communities need to work together to improve awareness and encourage timely support.
Former health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said mental health services needed to be taken closer to communities, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities and rural areas.
He said initiatives such as Tele-MANAS and the involvement of frontline health workers, including ASHAs and ANMs, could help in early identification and referral, while more people should be trained to provide basic counselling and psychosocial support.
“None of this can succeed without the support of the community,” Bhushan said.
Anil Rajput, chairperson of the Advisory Council of the Illness to Wellness Foundation, said supportive families and workplaces were essential to addressing mental health concerns.
He called for creating environments where people could speak about emotional struggles without fear of judgement and said seeking help should be made as normal as seeking treatment for a physical health problem.
“Sometimes, prevention begins with something as simple as a conversation–someone asking, ‘Are you alright?’ and being willing to listen without judgement,” Rajput said.
Padma Shri Prof Sanjeev Bagai, founder and director of Zenre and chairman of Nephron Clinic, stressed the need for a holistic approach to mental wellness, combining early diagnosis and intervention with healthy lifestyle practices.
He said movement, nutrition, adequate sleep, stress reduction and social connection should be considered alongside medical care.
The conference, held under the theme “Mind Matters: Nurturing & Strengthening Mental Health and Wellness”, featured sessions on workplace, educational and community well-being, as well as stigma, resilience, emotional balance and healthy lifestyles.
The conference concluded with a call for greater awareness, open conversations and collective action to make mental health and wellness an integral part of healthier individuals, families and communities.
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Mental Health Day 2026: Experts call for open conversations to tackle stigma
