World Mental Health Day 2025: What’s Changed and What Still Needs Work

World Mental Health Day 2025: Have you seen how things have taken a drastic turn in conversations surrounding mental health? A few years back, people, especially men, were told to “man up”. Feeling emotions was seen as a barrier in life. We were always taught to layer our emotions. But over time, we’ve come a long way as a country. The meaning of “being strong” has now changed. Strength is not seen in suppressing our emotions, but instead in showing up for them. We’ve started giving space to difficult feelings, experiences. We no longer keep our struggles in the shadows. Therapy is seen as a helpful tool, rather than a cry for help. Be it work-related stress, burnout or personal struggles with anxiety, worry, we no longer feel ashamed to address the issues openly.

What Has Changed

• Mental health is no longer hush-hush: According to Dr Prabhojit Mohanty, Psychiatrist, De-addiction Specialist & Sexologist, “People, especially women, are speaking openly about anxiety, burnout, and therapy, without guilt.”
• Self-care is becoming self-respect: Self-care is no longer just a luxury; it's a declaration of self-respect. By setting boundaries and prioritising well-being, we're learning to value ourselves from the inside out.
• Conversations have replaced clichés: ‘Be strong’ is giving way to ‘It’s okay to feel,’ and that shift is powerful, says Prabhojit.

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What Still Needs Work

• Access remains a privilege: Many men and women still can’t afford therapy or find time for it between work, caregiving, and survival.
• Stigma wears new clothes: We applaud mental health awareness online, yet still whisper judgments in real life, proving that true acceptance begins beyond the screen.
• Systems need empathy, not just awareness: As per Dr Prabhojit, “It’s time for policies, workplaces, and families to walk the talk, because real support for mental health goes beyond hashtags and hollow words.”
• Cyclical mood changes need compassion and awareness: Fluctuations in mood, especially before periods, during pregnancy, and after childbirth, deserve more understanding and support.

Image credits: Freepik

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