BENGALURU: India’s national mental health helpline, Tele-Manas, has received over 39,000 suicide-related distress calls since its launch three years ago, reflecting both the depth of the mental health crisis and growing reliance on tele-counselling services across the country.
National data reveals concerning trends
According to a detailed analysis compiled till October 31, 2025, the helpline has received 25 lakh calls since its inception on October 10, 2022. Of these, 16.5 lakh were fully assessed, revealing that 19,955 individuals sought help for suicidal distress, while 5,890 cases were classified as acute emergencies with imminent suicide risk.
Nearly 7,700 calls were escalated to trained mental health professionals for advanced counselling and crisis intervention. The data shows that 77% of suicide-related calls came directly from distressed individuals, 7.6% from caregivers, and 0.7% from healthcare workers or ASHAs assisting people in crisis.
Karnataka among top-performing states
Karnataka emerged as one of the most responsive states under Category 1B, managing over 1 lakh total calls, of which around 2,700 were related to suicidal thoughts or self-harm — roughly 2.6% of its total call volume.
Speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘Suicidality – A Concern for All’ during the two-day national mental health conference Manotsava, held on Sunday, Dr Naveen Kumar, professor of psychiatry at NIMHANS and head of the Tele-Manas Apex Coordinating Centre, said:
“Karnataka ranks among the top-performing states for both total and suicide-related calls, showing how the public is actively engaging with the helpline.”
Dr Kumar added that the helpline’s quick response, structured escalation system, and follow-up support have helped prevent several crises. “Our counsellors have been instrumental in saving lives. We’ve recorded many success stories of individuals who reached out repeatedly and found hope through the platform,” he said.
Who is reaching out and why
Data reveals that 73% of callers were between 18 and 45 years old, with 55% being male and 43% female. Around one in ten individuals contacted the helpline multiple times, with some reaching out five or more times, signalling ongoing engagement and trust in the system.
On average, counsellors spent 11.8 minutes per suicide-related call, which extended to over 14 minutes in high-risk cases.
Role of social media and societal stressors
Fellow panellist Dr Kavita Arora, co-founder of Children First India, noted a concerning increase in young callers exposed to suicide-related content online.
“We must ensure age-appropriate platforms for conversations about distress and reach vulnerable youth where they are — both online and offline,” she said.
Arjun Kapoor, programme director at the Centre for Mental Health Law, emphasised that suicide prevention efforts must extend beyond clinical interventions.
“Nearly half the cases are linked to real-life stressors — debt, discrimination, loneliness. This isn’t just a medical issue; it’s a social one. Families, communities, and governments share the responsibility to fix systems that fail people,” he said.
Expanding access to mental health support
Tele-Manas operates under the National Mental Health Programme of the central government, offering 24×7 free tele-mental health services in multiple languages. Experts at the event said its success underscores the growing acceptance of remote mental health care, though more resources are needed to meet rising demand.
“Every call is a story of someone choosing life and reaching out for help,” Dr Kumar said, urging continuous funding, training, and public awareness to strengthen the helpline’s reach across rural and urban India.