“I felt this too.”

And suddenly, they’re a little less alone.

Stories have always been at the heart of It’s Ok To Talk. Now, we’re making them easier to find.

Stories from IOTT — straight to your WhatsApp

You can now opt in to receive real stories from young people in the It’s Ok To Talk community directly on WhatsApp.

Choose the topics you’re interested in. Choose how often you’d like to hear from us. And receive stories that are relevant to you, straight to your phone.

Sign up now!

You can opt in and out whenever you like.

A story from our community

One of the featured stories of this month is by 24-year-old, A N Keerthana Rao from Bengaluru, India.

She describes the purpose of her story as:

To read Keerthana’s full story, click here.

Have a story to share?

We’re also inviting young people to share their own first-person stories about mental health.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from underrepresented voices across caste, gender, religion, sexuality, geography and disability.

You don’t need to have everything figured out. Your story could be about what you experienced, what helped, what you wish someone had told you, or what you learned along the way.

Story submissions are open on a rolling basis until 31 October 2026.

To share your story, scan the given QR or click here.

Your story could be someone else’s “I’m not alone.” 💜

We celebrated International Youth Day on 12th August!

For International Youth Day, youth-focused projects across Sangath, including METROPOLIS, MeWeSports, Mental Health For Schools, Youth-LEARN and It’s Ok To Talk, came together to celebrate young people’s voices, experiences and contributions.

Through our work, young people are advisors, co-designers, researchers, storytellers, peer leaders and participants, helping shape the work we do.

This year, we brought these conversations directly to young people through a digital campaign and webinar, with 150+ students joining us to share, listen and reflect on the issues that matter to them.

For many young people navigating depression and anxiety, finding someone else’s story can be the first step towards feeling understood.

It’s Ok To Talk is a youth-led digital platform where young people share real stories of their mental health—openly, in their own words. It was created as a safe, supportive space to talk, connect, and feel less alone.

These stories are not just about struggle—they are about making sense of difficult experiences, finding ways to cope, and breaking the silence around mental health.

What’s new?

We’re excited to share that It’s Ok To Talk has received new support through a Fellowship from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute

This 18-month fellowship means we get to dream bigger - and make It’s Ok To Talk even stronger for young people everywhere.

In simple terms, this means we are now working to:

• Share more diverse stories from young people across India

• Reach students in universities and communities

• Improve the platform to make it safer, more accessible, and more relevant

• Build towards a larger study to understand how storytelling can support young people experiencing depression and anxiety

At the centre of this next phase is something we’ve always believed in: young people shaping the work, not just participating in it.

Join us: Youth Advisory Group

We are inviting applications to join our Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG). As a Youth Advisor, you will help shape how stories are shared: what gets told, how it’s told, and how it reaches others who might be struggling.

What will you do?

• Help ensure stories reflect real, diverse lived experiences

• Support outreach to young people who may not otherwise be reached

• Contribute ideas to make the platform more inclusive, safe, and youth-friendly

Time commitment: 2-3 hours/month and quarterly in-person meetings

Who can apply?

• Student/recent graduates aged 18-28 years

• Based in Delhi/NCR

• Fluent in English and Hindi

• Interested in youth mental health

We especially encourage applications from young people with lived experience of depression and those from marginalised backgrounds. We also specially invite applicants with creative interests (e.g., visual arts, theatre, music, content creation)

What you’ll receive

• Honorarium for your time

• Training & skill-building workshops

• Networking opportunities

• Certificate & recommendation letter

• Opportunities to be featured or credited for your work

• A safe, supportive space for expression and peer connection

How to apply

Apply by 25 May 2026

• English application form

• Hindi application form

  
  Questions? info@itsoktotalk.in

—

Read recent stories

Here are a few recent stories from young people on It’s Ok To Talk:

• Still Existing by Sangeetha

• The Fear You Don’t See by Venkata Sharan

• Timid to Timeless by A N Keerthana Rao

Each story is a reminder: you’re not alone in what you’re feeling.

Explore more stories:

https://itsoktotalk.in

December unfolded as a moment of reflection and closure. As the year draws to an end, we look back at the campaigns we carried and the diverse stories that found space on IOTT. Over the year, this platform has grown into a repository of lived experiences holding stories, reflections, and coping strategies for anyone seeking resonance, understanding, or a place to belong. Shaped by each voice that chose to share, this space continues to grow through connection, care, and community.

📝🎙️🌿 Stories in Reflection, Voices in Continuity

This month, Stories Within shared stories of navigating mental health challenges, gender identity, and the pressures of daily life. Each story reflected resilience, the role of supportive connections, and the quiet, sometimes fragile paths through which young people make space to be themselves.

🌈 Stories Within

1. Coming Home to My Body: Finding My Nonbinary Self

“Letting myself come out as nonbinary to myself felt like coming home to my body.”

In this deeply reflective essay, a young student writes about growing up under the weight of expectation, comparison, and gendered scrutiny at home, in school, and later in college. Moving through years of bodily discomfort, silence, and declining mental health, the narrative traces how exhaustion, care-seeking, and gradual self-recognition opened a path toward naming oneself as nonbinary. Rather than offering certainty, the story sits with ambiguity, showing how self-acceptance emerges slowly through listening to the body and resisting the demand to perform normalcy.

📖 Read the full story

2. What it is like to be queer in a casteist society

“I was made to feel like my pain needed justification.”

This story traces a queer person’s search for care within mental health systems shaped by caste, class, and normativity. As they move through therapy spaces that misread their experiences, the narrative reflects on how exclusion is often subtle yet cumulative. Over time, care emerges less from institutions and more from chosen solidarities, where being seen does not require translation and healing is held collectively rather than individually.

📖 Read the full story

✨ Stories in the Making

Here’s a quick preview of what’s next on It’s Ok To Talk:

Becoming before belonging

Through memories of home, early responsibility, and unspoken fear, this story follows a trans-queer person shaped by parentification and silence. Moving from survival to self-understanding, it traces how therapy, community, and chosen kin slowly made room for care, agency, and a life lived on one’s own terms.

Behind the Scenes

This month, we said goodbye to Anikesh Johari, a valued member of the IOTT team who supported the platform with care and commitment. He worked across campaigns, helped initiate key events, and played an important role in building IOTT into a steady and growing space for youth voices.

From strengthening our digital presence to thoughtfully introducing new systems, Anikesh brought clarity, care, and a collaborative spirit to the work. As he transitions out, we remain deeply grateful for his contributions and wish him the very best ahead. While change isn’t always easy, we embrace it with warmth, intention, and the values that keep us grounded.

🌿 Until Next Month

Thank you for reading, sharing, and holding space for youth voices. We’ll be back soon with more stories, art, and conversations. Until then, take what inspires you and keep the mental health conversation alive.

With warmth,
Team It’s Ok To Talk
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November has been a month steeped in remembrance, in memory, in gentle reckoning. We wrapped up a campaign and published 7 stories across our initiatives, with a steady momentum carrying through the month. These stories capture identity, resilience, and the ways young people show up for themselves and each other. Read on to catch these stories, and feel the pulse of connection and community.

📝🎙️🌿Closing a Chapter, Carrying the Voices Forward

Since its launch in March, Zubaan-e-Dil — our collaboration with Youth for Mental Health has brought together 20 powerful student stories about navigating university life, mental health, relationships, identity, and resilience. The courage with which these stories were shared, and the warmth with which they were received, has been deeply meaningful.

As we close this campaign, Stories Within continues to grow, uplifting new narratives from young queer voices and stories of searching, becoming, and finding moments of reflection and recognition.

This isn’t an ending — just a turning point, as we carry these voices forward into what comes next.

💚 Zubaan-e-Dil: Stories that Speak to the Heart

1. Big on Dream, Low on Opportunities

“I knew I had two choices either to let the bitterness consume me or find a way to cope.”

In this story of hope and resilience, a young student shares the struggle of trying to carve space for herself in academia, only to confront systemic barriers that undercut her efforts. Through moments of uncertainty, she turns to the support of peers whose empathy and understanding help her hold onto hope. Her story reminds us that resilience is often nurtured collectively and that personal perseverance is strengthened through communities of care and shared experience.

📖 Read the full story

2. Grieving the Embrace of a Slow Poison

“It felt unrealistic to write one story of my interface with depression, given how often it has revisited me.”

This poetic piece captures the difficulty of narrativising a recurring relationship with depression, where emotion exceeds language and words strain to hold memory, grief, and ambiguity. Rather than resolution, it honours the unfinishedness of healing held in fragments, echoes, and quiet spaces.

Memory comes back in flashes
visuals that linger,
I see you lie next to me
me always looking up
to meet your gaze
with welled up eyes
seeking an end to suffering
misplaced
in our love, at least!
my present
misplaced
in here, words
failing like you, every time...

📖 Read the full story

🌈 Stories Within

1. For Years, I Lived in Pieces. Embracing My Queerness Made Me Whole.

“Coming out, even to myself, felt like peeling off my skin. It was vulnerable. Terrifying. But it also felt like coming home to a part of me that had always been waiting.”

This is a raw and intimate story of surviving childhood dissonance with gender, experiences of sexual abuse, and severe mental health struggles. Through years of silence, self-doubt, and recovery, the writer gradually embraces their queer and non-binary identity, learning to inhabit their body and express themselves on their own terms.

📖 Read the full story

Or hear the author narrate their story:

2. Survival is a Brutal thing

“The truth is, survival didn’t feel like victory for most of my life. It felt brutal. Unbearable.. But now I realise I was wrong.”

In this deeply personal account, Survival is a Brutal Thing follows a young queer and trans student as they learn to live beyond the years they once believed were their limit. They reflect on trauma, shifting diagnosis, and the work of self-understanding, while also finding grounding in friendship, therapy, and emerging self-expression. What unfolds is a reclaiming of life rather than an escape from pain: a story of showing up for oneself, building inner trust, and choosing to stay.

📖 Read the full story

3. How I Reclaimed My Queerness After Religion Made Me Hide It Away.

“ I learned that healing did not happen in isolation. It was in community and connection that I found it.”

Judith’s story revisits their early encounters with religion and the moral frameworks that informed their sense of self. Moving through the constraints of girlhood assigned at birth, they trace how identity was shaped, resisted, and gradually re-claimed. Through therapeutic intervention and the affirmation of queer kinship, they learned to trust their own becoming and to inhabit who they are with a confident and steady sense of belonging.

📖 Read the full story

✨ Stories in the Making

Here’s a quick preview of what’s next on It’s Ok To Talk:

1. I tried to be ‘normal’, but it made me unhappy. Queerness saved me.

Amid the coded journals, societal scrutiny, and internal turmoil, a young person charts a path toward understanding and embodying their non-binary identity. This narrative explores the courage it takes to reclaim one’s body, voice, and being.

2. To Grow Up Twice

In the early mornings of care, cleanup, and unspoken duty, a young voice learned to hold everything together while pushing themselves to perfection outside the home. This piece explores the cost of growing up too fast—and the tentative work of finally coming back to oneself.

Behind the Scenes

In this month’s feed, we celebrate a milestone for It’s Ok To Talk. The platform has received an “Honourable Mention” Fellowship, awarded to our founder, Dr Pattie Gonsalves, by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute.

With this fellowship strengthening our foundations and amplifying youth voices, watch out for fresh website updates, expanded storytelling formats, and creative ways to connect and engage—helping the platform grow into a more responsive and inclusive space for young people.

We’re excited to see It’s Ok To Talk continue to grow with this recognition, and to keep building a space where young people feel seen, supported, and connected.

🌿 Until Next Month

Thank you for reading, sharing and supporting youth voices. This little corner of stories, art, and emotion wouldn’t exist without you. We’ll meet you back here soon. Until then, take what you need, leave what you can, and keep the conversation alive in your own circles.

With warmth,
Team It’s Ok To Talk
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October has been a month of connection, creativity, and courageous conversations. From new narratives exploring identity, grief, and self-acceptance, to youth-led dialogues at Confab 2025, this month reminded us of the many ways young people continue to show up for themselves and each other — through stories, art, and community.

📝🎙️🌿 New Stories, New Voices, New Realities

This month, our Zubaan-e-Dil and Stories Within campaigns featured heartfelt reflections that moved beyond surface narratives — diving into what it really means to live, heal, and be seen.

💚 Zubaan-e-Dil

1. Rainy Days

“To me, the clouds felt suffocating. The rain didn’t sound musical or soothing.”

Mauli’s story is a poetic reflection on melancholy, capturing the feeling of being weighed down by memories and emotions that pour without warning. The writer reflects on the changing seasons of the mind, from stillness to storm, and the process of learning to find calm even when it rains within.

📖 Read the story

2. Beyond the Dark

“Even in darkness, I kept hoping for a flicker — something to remind me that I was still here.”

In Beyond the Dark, Kriti writes about surviving emotional exhaustion and rediscovering hope after being engulfed by despair. The piece unfolds like a letter to oneself, a reminder that healing doesn’t happen all at once, but in the quiet decision to try again each day.

📖 Read the story

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🌈 Stories Within

A Traumatic Evening

“Some memories stay not because we want them to — but because they demand to be understood.”

In this raw and courageous story, the writer opens up about a deeply traumatic event and its emotional aftermath. Through their narrative, they reflect on the process of making sense of fear, reclaiming agency, and the slow, often painful journey of rebuilding safety.

A Traumatic Evening is both an act of remembrance and resistance, a reminder that speaking about trauma is itself a form of survival.

📖 Read the story

💬 At Confab 2025 | Youth Mental Health Takes Centre Stage

On 8th October, It’s Ok To Talk co-hosted the Metropolis Youth Mental Health Festival — Confab 2025, as part of Sangath’s Metropolis team, bringing together young people, creators, and mental health advocates from across India.

We hosted the session “Stronger Together: The Saathi Support Way”, introducing attendees to the Saathi Support programme and officially launching Saathi Stories — a new storytelling campaign sharing real moments of peer connection and care.

Our on-ground activity, L.E.N.S (Lived Experiences, Narratives & Support), invited young people to record short reflections on giving and receiving support. These recordings will be featured on IOTT in the coming months.

At our IOTT booth, visitors explored story illustrations, took home postcards and bookmarks, and added their voices to a colourful graffiti wall — a shared space of empathy and hope.

✨ Stories in the Making

Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming next on It’s Ok To Talk:

1. From Breaking Down to Building Back Up
A narrative that traces the emotional terrain of hitting a breaking point, and slowly finding the pieces to rebuild — step by step, crack by crack, with the raw honesty of real life.

2. The Girl Who Ran Out of Fuel
An illustrated essay-style story that captures what it feels like when you run out of energy — creatively, emotionally — and what it takes to refuel, reimagine, and move forward differently.

🌸 Inviting Stories for our New Campaign: Saathi Stories

Our new storytelling campaign, Saathi Stories, collects accounts of the quiet acts of support you received from friends, family, classmates, colleagues, or mentors, and the moments when you noticed someone struggling and chose to reach out. By spotlighting stories of giving and receiving help, and raising awareness about the subtle signs of struggle, we aim to reduce stigma, model practical ways to step in, and create a searchable archive of relatable experiences.

Be part of the campaign and help spread the word: you don’t have to go through mental health struggles alone. It’s okay to seek help, and it matters to offer it.

Express your interest!

Behind the Scenes

This month, we welcomed Prerna Verma (she/they) as our new Public Engagement Officer. A sociologist and communications practitioner, Prerna works at the crossroads of research, storytelling, and public engagement, exploring how everyday spaces, policies, and narratives shape lived experiences.

Prerna will take over the day-to-day operations of It’s Ok To Talk and will work closely with the It’s Ok to Talk and Metropolis teams in Sangath’s Delhi office to craft creative new ways to engage with our community and extend IOTT’s reach.

With a deep belief that stories can dismantle stigma and nurture reflection, Prerna brings fresh energy and thoughtful care to the team, and we can’t wait for you to see what’s coming next.

🌿 Until Next Month

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting youth voices. Whether you connect through stories, art, or quiet reflection, your presence keeps this space alive.

With warmth,
Team It’s Ok To Talk
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Here's what we've been up to this month:

Zubaan-e-Dil: Stories That Stay With Us

In July, our Zubaan-e-Dil campaign continued to highlight powerful youth voices navigating anxiety, identity, and emotional overwhelm. Stories like “Kuch Ankahi Baatein (Some Things Unsaid)” by Subhaiu explored loneliness, healing, and the quiet courage it takes to ask for help.

Stories Within x queerbeat: Queer Narratives Beyond Pride

Our collaboration with queerbeat continued post Pride Month with raw, reflective narratives, such as Ash’s “Survival is a Brutal Thing.” These stories center queer mental health beyond visibility, exploring trauma, resistance, and healing through storytelling and art.

Spotlight Stories

Featured post: Kuch Ankahi Baatein (Some Things Unsaid)

A deeply personal story on friendship, therapy, and self-compassion.

Read the full story here.

'Not Just Surviving, But Growing Through It All' by Titiksha

“Looking back now, I realize that I was building resilience. Life, despite its challenges, really does go on.”

In this heartfelt narrative, Titiksha reflects on the tumultuous journey from school to college, navigating anxiety, self-doubt, and the emotional aftermath of the pandemic. Labeled "rebellious" for choosing her own path, she shares how she learned to trust herself, seek support, and embrace uncertainty. Through academic pressures, shifting relationships, and soul-searching explorations, her story is one of quiet strength and steady growth, a reminder that even when life feels overwhelming, we are capable of more than we think.

Read the full story here.

'Giving Life a Second Chance'

“Because sometimes, one chance isn’t enough—and that’s okay.”

This powerful narrative traces one young person’s journey through academic pressure, lost identity, isolation, and rediscovered purpose. From hiding away in silence to finding the courage to pursue her long-forgotten dream of studying psychology, this story is a reminder that it’s never too late to begin again. It's about choosing life on your terms and realizing that healing starts when you stop waiting for rescue and start becoming your own hero.

Read the full story here.

Upcoming Stories

We're excited to share a glimpse of two upcoming stories. Each illustration is a co-creation between our storytellers and artists.

'Survival is a Brutal Thing' by Ash

A raw, deeply honest narrative about trauma, gender, survival, and healing. Ash reflects on what it means to live beyond a deadline you didn't plan to cross. The art evokes the heaviness and resilience of this story.

An Unpausable Mind

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to do things. I just couldn’t — at least not in the way I was expected to.”

A deeply personal reflection on growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, this story traces the journey from confusion and academic struggle to self-understanding and acceptance. Through diagnosis, therapy, and advocacy, the author shares how they learned to work with their mind, not against it, embracing difference as a source of strength.

Watch our space to read these stories.

Behind the Scenes: Transitions and New Chapters

This month, we said goodbye to our cherished team member, Stuti Khandelwal, who has been the backbone and primary nurturer of the It’s Ok To Talk platform for over a year. Her care, creativity, and deep commitment to youth mental health shaped much of what IOTT stands for today, and she will be deeply missed.

As we begin a new chapter, we welcomed a new coordinator into the fold last month and have launched a hiring campaign to bring on an officer to oversee the day-to-day operations of the platform and social media. Change is never easy, but we’re growing with intention and always holding our core values close.

Thanks to everyone who read, or listened, thank you for simply being here.
We’re not just sharing stories—we’re building a movement. Join us in amplifying these voices.

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It's Ok To Talk

This Month at IOTT

Zubaan-e-Dil: Stories That Speak to the Heart

Throughout June, we highlighted deeply personal stories from university students as part of our Zubaan-e-Dil campaign in collaboration with Youth for Mental Health Foundation.

These stories were honest, showing us the reality of university students and mental health. While some narratives revealed the struggles of students struggling to find their place in university, others talked about academic burnout, difficult relationships and struggling with identity. They offered glimpses into the lives of young students, shaped by identity, change, and resilience.

We started publishing these stories on our website as well as on our social media pages, and each post resonated with readers in its unique way. Thank you for reading and sharing the voices that deserve to be heard.

Stories Within x queerbeat: Queer Narratives for Pride Month

In celebration of pride month, we have been collaborating with queerbeat, centering queer lives and lived experiences.

These stories speak of survival, resistance, and the everyday intersections of caste, class, gender, and queerness. These are stories of growing up with silence, surviving violence, struggling with mental health, and slowly finding healing.

From navigating mental health care, which is often inaccessible, struggling with gender dysphoria and marginalisation to finding belonging in chosen communities, they offer powerful insights into what it means to live and resist as a queer individual in India. We're now gearing up to share these narratives across the It’s Ok To Talk and queerbeat platforms.

We look forward to continue amplifying these voices well beyond Pride Month.

Spotlight Stories

A student’s account of navigating isolation and social anxiety in college.

“From the way I dressed to the way I spoke, everything felt different. And in college, “different” often translates to outsider.”

She describes how she slowly transformed her reality, finding her voice again and claiming a space in college.

“My voice—shaky and hesitant—was beginning to find space again.”

This story reminded us that we make our destiny, and sometimes all we need is a little bit of support.

Read the full story here.

Pride Story Feature: "What Would Safety Look Like For You?"

From the Stories Within campaign, Risha Fathima, shares their experience of the inhuman nature of psychiatric facilities in India, especially for a queer person.

“They call it Standard Operating Procedure. I call it violence dressed up as protocol.”

They highlight the lack of empathy and trauma-informed care rampant in such facilities in India that make them raise the question -

“What Would Safety Look Like For You?”

Read the full story here.

Thanks to everyone who read, or listened,thank you for simply being here.
We’re not just sharing stories—we’re building a movement. Join us in amplifying these voices.

Follow us on Instagram:

University students face a multitude of challenges — leaving home, adjusting to a new environment, meeting new people, academic pressures, social struggles, and financial or family-related tensions.

To give voice to the unspoken and unheard experiences of university life, we’ve launched the Zubaan-e-Dil campaign — a space to share and be heard.

If you relate to this, your story matters — and we’d love to hear it. Sharing your story can help others feel less alone, challenge stigma, and build a sense of connection and hope.

• Submit by May 15, 2025
  You can share your story as a written piece, video, artwork, or audio.
  Submissions can be anonymous and will receive editorial, translation, and art support before being published on our platforms.

• Not sure what to write about? We’ve got prompts to help! Topics include academics, relationships, loneliness, identity, financial stress, resilience, and more.

👉 Click here to read the full submission guide.

Let your voice be heard. Let someone else know they’re not alone. ❤️

As part of this initiative, interactive activity booths and poster drives were set up across eight university campuses in Delhi NCR — creating safe, engaging spaces to spark conversations around mental health and invite students to share their real, personal stories.

See it in action — catch the heartfelt glimpses from the campaign

The Stories Within: A Call for Queer Student Voices

We’re excited to share another powerful campaign amplifying student voices — “The Story Within”, a collaborative series by It’s Ok To Talk (Sangath) and Queerbeat.

This initiative invites queer individuals to share their mental health journeys — stories that explore coming out, identity struggles, relationships, community-building, stigma, or simply navigating life as a queer individual. Whether you’re managing the pressures of student life, facing discrimination, or finding strength in chosen family — each story matters.

Why share your story?
Your voice can challenge stigma, spark important conversations, and help build a more supportive, affirming space for queer youth across the country.

What kind of stories can you submit?
Personal reflections (around 1200 words) that touch on mental health and identity — from struggles to moments of growth, hope, or community. You don’t have to be a professional writer; just speak from the heart.

What’s in it for you?

• Editorial support to help shape your story

• Publication on It’s Ok To Talk and queerbeat platforms

• An honorarium as a token of appreciation

Submit your expression of interest by filling out this form with a short 200-word summary of your story.

Need inspiration? Read stories that capture the essence of this campaign:

• Are Fat People Welcome in the Queer World?

• Transitioning from a Good Boy to a Loose Woman

• It’ll Be Okay. If Not, That’s Okay Too

• The Girl in the Dark Room

Subscribe to get latest updates of our campaigns!

In India, academic stress, the intense pressure to succeed, and fear of failure are major contributors to mental health struggles among young people. This can lead to anxiety, depression, self-harm, and even suicide. In 2022 the NCRB (National Crimes Records Bureau) also reported that 916 individuals aged 18 to 30 years died by suicide due to the fear of failing exams. For many, success in exams is seen as the key to their future, and their self-worth becomes deeply tied to academic achievements. This creates a sense of immense pressure and isolation.

Watch part I of Rounit's video story, where he shares his journey of dealing with depression after experiencing academic failure in the NEET exam. He openly discusses the pressure, self-doubt, and despair he felt. He opens up about the strategies that helped him heal, and the importance of our loved ones’ support in dealing with mental health difficulties. Most importantly, he reminds us to stay hopeful.

To watch the entire series, check out our YouTube channel It’s Ok Baat Karo

Educational institutions and parents/care givers have a key role to play in addressing the mental well-being of students. In fact, in 2022, the NCRB reported that “family problems” were the leading cause of suicide among children. Schools and colleges can support students' mental health by offering counselling services, raising awareness, focusing on holistic development over marks, and reducing the stigma around failure.

Parents can also play a crucial role by setting realistic expectations, encouraging open communication, and supporting interests beyond academics. Teaching students to view failure as a learning opportunity fosters growth and resilience. It’s important to create a safe and supportive environment for young people and regularly check in on their well-being.

If you've faced mental health challenges due to academic pressure, family, or interpersonal issues, you're not alone. Sharing your story can help ease the emotional weight you carry and offer hope to others facing similar struggles. Reflecting on your experiences also gives you space to express yourself and gain new insights. Its Ok To Talk is one such platform where you can share your journey through any medium that feels right for you.

✨Email your submission to stories@itsoktotalk.in in English or Hindi. You can use any format of your choice (article, video, audio, art/illustration) 

✨You can choose to submit anonymously 

✨We’re here to support you in your journey of sharing your story, reach out to us at stories@itsoktotalk.in 

References:

Mapping Youth Mental Health Landscapes: Local Insights from 13 Countries (pp. 37–42). (2024). https://being-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mapping-Youth-Mental-Health-Landscapes_April-18-2024.pdf

Unicef. (2021, October). Adolescent Mental Health. Unicef Data. https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/mental-health/

Clarance, D. (2024, September 30). Student suicides rising in India: The stigma and the silence. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/health/story/student-suicide-rate-rising-india-stigma-silence-mental-health-2607598-2024-09-30

Aparajita. (2024, October 7). Mental Health for Students in India: Overcoming Academic Pressure. Careme.health. https://careme.health/blog/mental-health-for-students-in-india-overcoming-academic-pressure

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Thank you for being with us on this incredible journey—we can't wait to see what the future holds, together.

RESEARCH |

Baatcheet Research Programme: Addressing depression and anxiety through a storytelling intervention

In 2024, we evaluated the feasibility of “Baatcheet”, a web-based storytelling intervention designed to help young people address mental health challenges. We reached 600 young people across schools, universities and community-based organizations (CBOs). Our study findings showed that personal stories of mental health can help young people learn new coping strategies, foster connection, reduce isolation and boost hopefulness.

You can learn about this study here and read about our research here.

Learn more about the programme and hear from Baatcheet’s participants and buddies

METROPOLIS Research Programme: Address student depression through peer-support

In partnership with King’s College London (KCL), OP Jindal Global University and Youth for Mental Health Foundation, we began a new research programme called METROPOLIS to evaluate peer-delivered brief psychological interventions for university students experiencing depression.

This year, we reached 20,000+ students through university outreach, recruited a 12-member Young People’s Advisory Group (YPAG), and worked with 19 students to co-design these interventions. In 2025, we will evaluate the impacts of these interventions in New Delhi through one of the largest randomised controlled trials (RCT) ever conducted in a low-and-middle-country (LMIC).

You can read more about our research here.

See images from our workshops with the YPAG and Co-design participants

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT |

It’s Ok To Talk: Young people’s mental health stories

• Our flagship storytelling website, It’s Ok To Talk, received a fresh new look, along with exciting features designed to deepen its impact.

• On World Mental Health Day 2024, we partnered with Youth for Mental Health Foundation (YMHF) to host “Confab”, a vibrant university-wide mental health festival in New Delhi, which was attended by 500+ students. As part of this festival, we showcased an art exhibition that highlighted the mental health stories of 10 university students, expressed through powerful artwork.

• We were also honoured to take this exhibition to Mannotsava, the national mental health festival organized by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, where it reached an even wider audience.

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See glimpses from the Confab in Delhi

Outlive: Youth suicide prevention for university students

In 2024, 55 young people were trained as Outlive peer supporters, facilitating over 1,400 chats and providing vital support to those at risk of suicide.

We also piloted a Suicide Prevention Facilitator Training Program with 6 young people, who led awareness workshops reaching over 70 young people across universities and community organizations.

Through the Outlive Stories Campaign, we received 31 personal stories from young people. You can read these here.

The Youth Advocacy for Suicide Prevention Fellowship Program concluded its second cohort in 2024, with 9 fellows from five cities in India: Jaipur, Raipur, Srinagar, Gangtok, and Bhubaneswar.

Outlive was also recognized by WHO and UNICEF as a best practice example for participatory approaches to mental health and suicide prevention in their service guidance package (Section 4.3, page 90).

You can learn more about Outlive here.

Amplifying youth voices in our publications

This year, we had the privilege of amplifying the voices of young people through two significant publications that reflect the importance of their involvement in shaping mental health solutions.

• In collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of researchers, youth advocates, technologists and public engagement specialists, we co-authored the article “Co-designing Digital Mental Health Interventions with Young People: 10 Recommendations from Lessons Learned in Low-and-Middle-Income Countries”. This paper highlights the value of engaging young people in the research process through a co-design approach, sharing insights from our youth projects at Sangath. You can read the full paper here.

• We were also honoured to contribute to The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on Youth Mental Health, working alongside an international consortium of experts. This landmark report serves as the first comprehensive guide to youth mental health globally, offering critical evidence on how to improve mental health care for young people. You can explore the full report here.

The It’s Ok To Talk team wishes you a very Happy New Year!

Nearly 1 in 8 men struggle with depression or anxiety, but less than half of them seek help. Globally, women are 20% more likely to consider seeking mental health support compared to men. This highlights a significant gender gap in seeking support for mental well-being.

This challenge stems largely from gender stereotypes, societal expectations, and the way they are raised—all of which contribute to the stigma surrounding men’s mental health.

What can we do?

Men’s mental well-being is not just a concern for men—it’s a societal issue. As a community, we play a vital role in breaking down the stigma and fostering a culture of acceptance. It is important to create a safe space for young men where they feel comfortable talking about their struggles and challenging gender stereotypes.

We can do this by checking in on our friends or colleagues regularly, being there to listen—just listen, without judgment, and making them feel heard and valued. Let them know that there are resources available to them to talk about and share their problems.

To fight stigma and raise awareness, It’s Ok To Talk creates a space where anyone can share their experiences with mental health difficulties. Through stories, we can spread hope, strengthen connections, build a community, and let other people know that they are not alone.

Watch Part I of Arjun Gupta’s story shared on the It’s Ok To Talk platform, where he narrates his journey of overcoming stigma and seeking out help in dealing with depression. He highlights the struggles that many men face by being told that "good boys don't cry" and the importance of expressing yourself to people around you.

You can watch the entire video series titled “Coming Out with Depression” here.

If you have a personal story of mental health experiences you’d like to share, you can:

✨Email your submission to stories@itsoktotalk.in in English or Hindi. You can use any format of your choice (article, video, audio, art/illustration)

✨You can choose to submit anonymously

✨If you want to share but are feeling stuck or have any questions, reach out to us at stories@itsoktotalk.in

References

https://www.oliverwyman.com/our-expertise/perspectives/health/2022/mar/gender-gap-in-accessing-mental-health-support.html

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/08/stigma-mental-health-care-men/

https://newsmeter.in/science-health/men-ignoring-mental-health-silent-crisis-making-1-in-8-men-experience-depression-anxiety-739678

With a brand-new look and personalized features, you can tailor how you find stories, draw inspiration from other users and use our special storytelling tools!

ALL NEW FEATURES WAITING FOR YOU

1. Create your account: Save inspiring stories and reflections, and be part of our community by signing up on the website!

2. Personalized Feed: Create an account and get a chance to customize your profile to match stories to your interests!

3. New Story Filters: Choose themes and filter out content you want to avoid. Read what you want to. 

4. Guided Reflections: Use our reflective prompts to help you reflect on your own experiences and find coping strategies for problems you are experiencing.

5. Tell My Story: Use our new tool to help tell your own story. You can save your progress until you’re ready to share or ask us to help you!

6. Dedicated Resources: We’re here to support your mental well-being. Access essential resources for mental health support.

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Visit www.itsoktotalk.in to explore the website with all its new features and create your account today to become a part of our community!

Over the last year, our storytelling research programme ‘Baatcheet’ has actively engaged young people in research activities, including our Young People Advisory Group (YPAG). This group of 11 young people from diverse backgrounds have been working closely with our team to design a research study! Watch the video to learn how:

Metropolis program kickstarts as they welcome a new group of youth advisors

In April, the Metropolis program welcomed 12 new youth advisors to work with our team on designing mental health support for students with depression on university campuses as part of a large research study. Here are glimpses of our first workshop together! If you are a young person and interested in contributing to research activities, please follow our Instagram page where we regularly post invitations to participate: @itsoktotalk

Opportunities: We are looking for a graphic designer! 

We are looking to recruit a graphic designer. Applications are open until May 6th, 2024.

For more information, click here.

What will Youth Advisors do? Youth advisors will play a key role in amplifying youth voices, enhancing outreach to young people, and providing insights to build a culturally sensitive and youth-friendly programme. Youth advisors will spend 3-4 hours every month on this role and will be required to attend an in person meeting every 2-3 months.  

Who can apply? We invite applications from college students aged 18-24 years from Delhi/NCR, fluent in English and Hindi, and interested in supporting youth mental health. We especially invite applications from young people who have experiences related to depression and are socially disadvantaged or marginalised, i.e., people from marginalised castes, religions, genders, sexualities, Adivasi communities, and people with disabilities.  

What do Youth Advisors receive? Youth Advisors will be compensated for their time. They will also be trained in mental health research and have opportunities to work alongside a dynamic group of researchers, peers, and mental health professionals. 

How to apply? To apply please use this https://form.typeform.com/to/Ed3csIHQ  (for english form) | https://form.typeform.com/to/KlBC3t4T  (for hindi form) or scan the QR codes on the poster. If you have any questions, please write to metropolis@sangath.in 

Applications close on 25th March 2024.

“In 2017, after facing complications in my academic career, I went into depression. Things started getting worse when I started getting myself into a depressive bubble and away from people. I was that girl that everyone in college knew had no friends or nobody. 

I decided to drop out of college as my health was deteriorating. A few months later, after working on my physical health due to the push from my family, I went back to college, continuing my education with the same classmates and bullies. 

I finished my degree and graduated (online). Started taking therapy and having a better hold on hope and what it means in life. The single ray of faith I had in God, in the hope that I could reach the end of the tunnel someday or other, has kept me alive”.

This is Angel’s story, a 24-year-old from Hyderabad. Angel writes about her experiences of depression during college and how she coped through her spiritual beliefs and support from her family.

Read Angel’s full story at It’s OK To Talk.

Ongoing research activities

We recently launched a new research study called ‘ Baatcheet’ (meaning ‘conversation’ in Hindi). Baatcheet is a peer-supported web-based storytelling programme that collects and shares real mental health stories. It is aimed at helping young people experiencing mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression to learn new ways to cope with difficulties, and feel hopeful and connected to others. This study aims to understand how these personal stories impact young people and their mental health. Recruitment is now open at selected schools, universities, and NGO sites till May 2024. You can read more about the study here: https://sangath.in/baatcheet/

Get involved in research 

Have you ever felt that the changing climate has affected your mood or mental state?  If yes, you can also participate in a study being conducted by our collaborators at the Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling. More details are below.

Want to share your story?

We are actively seeking personal contributions to our collection of mental health stories at It’s OK To Talk. If you’d like to share your story or if you want to share but are confused about how to do this, our team can help! To ask for help or submit your story, email us at stories@itsoktotalk.in. 

"Men undergo a form of emotional castration such that they simply cannot be in touch with their emotions. Expressing these feelings remains a distant dream for most young men due to the way they are raised."- Arjun (25 years, Male)

It is more important than ever before to build safe spaces, especially for young men, to talk openly about their mental well-being and to know where to seek support. One of the most important ways we do this at 'It's Ok To Talk' is by sharing our stories to foster hope, build connections, and let others know they are not alone.

If you have a personal story you’d like to contribute, you can:

✨Email your submission to stories@itsoktotalk.in in English or Hindi. You can use any format of your choice (article, video, audio, art/illustration)

✨You can choose to submit anonymously (without your name or personal details).

✨If you want to share but are feeling stuck or have never done this before, we would love to help! Our team can support you with writing, editing your story, or creating a video.

✨Have questions? Reach out to us at stories@itsoktotalk.in for inquiries or assistance with your contribution.

Opportunities at Sangath's Addiction Research Group

Sangath’s ARG has a current opening for an Intervention Coordinator and a Research Assistant for a new programme, SATHI, aimed at developing a digital curriculum to train peer support workers (PSWs) who can support people with severe mental illness (SMI).

• For the position of Research Assistant, View Details

• For the position of Intervention Coordinator, View details

Do you wish to join the suicide prevention movement? Apply for the Outlive Facilitator Training Programme by 28th December 

Are you 18-25 years olds? Do you want to support your peers’ mental health?

You can apply to be a ‘Buddy’ with Baatcheet, a new mental health programme for young people in New Delhi.

About Baatcheet: 'Baatcheet' is a peer-supported web-based storytelling programme for young people. It consists of a personalized web-app containing real stories by young people. It is aimed at helping young people to identify ways to cope with difficulties, discover hope, and offers support from a trained peer (who we call a “Baatcheet Buddy ''). We expect young people who use Baatcheet to learn from other young people’s lives and experiences, discover new ways to think about their difficulties and how to manage them and to feel more hopeful about tackling personal challenges in their lives. 

What will Baatcheet Buddies do? Baatcheet buddies will provide brief support to a small number Baatcheet users every month for six months (January-June 2024). Support will include spending about 2 hours a week guiding peers to use the Baatcheet web app. 

Who should apply to be a Buddy? If you want to support your peers and contribute your skills and time to youth mental health, we encourage you to apply! You will receive training to support others from our team of psychologists and researchers. You can  experience personal growth and skill development. You will also receive a monthly stipend for your time.

How to apply? To apply please use this link: Baatcheet Buddy Application Form, or scan the QR code on the poster (attached). Applications close on 17th November 2023. If you have any questions, you can write to info@itsoktotalk.in

It is more important than ever before to build safe spaces for young people to talk openly about their mental well-being and to know where to seek support. One of the most important ways we do this at "It's Ok To Talk" is by sharing our stories to foster hope, build connections, and let others know they are not alone.

Urban Living and Adolescent Mental Well-being

Investing in the mental health of adolescents in urban areas is critical to improving future life prospects and addressing the global burden of mental health challenges among young people. We need multi-level interventions that take into account individual capacities, social networks, and environmental factors to achieve lasting positive impacts. On World Mental Health Day, our team joined others in reflecting on why cities matter for the mental health and well-being of young people.

You can access the full article here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02238-9/fulltext

Delhi Schools Embrace Mental Well-Being

For World Mental Health Day, our Baatcheet program hosted art competitions in Delhi schools to raise awareness and spark conversations about the importance of mental health for school-going students.

We are inviting personal contributions to Baatcheet:

We are inviting personal contributions to Baatcheet, a new research programme by our team. Baatcheet is designing a free youth mental health website offering a personalized journey to find stories and reflective tools to help people find new ways to cope and feel more hopeful. 

How to submit:

If you have a personal story you’d like to contribute, you can:

✨Email your submission to stories@itsoktotalk.in in English or Hindi. You can use any format of your choice (article, video, audio, art/illustration) 

✨You can choose to submit anonymously (without your name or personal details).

✨We’ve created a story-sharing guide you can refer to here.  

✨If you want to share but are feeling stuck or have never done this before, we would love to help! Our team can support you with writing, editing your story, or creating a video.

✨Have questions? Reach out to us at stories@itsoktotalk.in for inquiries or assistance with your contribution.

Updates from our team

We just held a national workshop on the role of stories in supporting youth mental health.

40 attendees comprising young people and mental health professionals from 15 mental health organizations participated in a workshop in New Delhi on July 4th to help identify top priorities, enablers, and barriers to the successful implementation of the ‘Baatcheet’. Baatcheet is a peer-delivered web-based storytelling programme which collects and shares real stories by young people about their experiences of depression and/or anxiety. Over 2023-2024, Baatcheet will be co-designed and piloted with Indian youth in New Delhi aged 16-24 years from schools, universities, and community-based organizations. You can read the full report here.

Research shows that personal stories of talking about our difficulties, seeking help and recovering from mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety can help others who are facing similar challenges to learn coping strategies and feel more connected with others. Stories also have the potential to encourage others and let them know that they are not alone in their struggles. 

Inviting contributions to Baatcheet

We invite contributions in Hindi and English to be included in the Baatcheet research programme. Baatcheet is a space to share and reflect on stories about our experiences of mental health difficulties. It is aimed at helping young people who are experiencing anxiety or depression to learn about new coping methods and to find support and hope for recovery.

Wondering what to write about?

We have put together a list of different story prompts. You can choose even just one which resonates with you the most or add your own! Remember, what you share should relate to your experiences of having depression or anxiety.

• What do you want people to understand about living with depression or anxiety?

• What has surprised you most about living with depression or anxiety?

• Describe your experiences of opening up to friends or family

• Describe your experiences of how you asked for or found help for your mental health difficulties

• What do you want others to know about what happens in counselling/therapy

• What it is like to take medication 

• The top tips you have for coping with depression or anxiety  

• Do you have a message of hope for someone else experiencing 

What happens after you share your story

Our team will work closely with you to finalise the submission including making edits to your story according to our editorial guidelines if these are required. The edited draft will be shared with you for your approval before publishing.

How to submit

• Email your submission to stories@itsoktotalk.in

• Submit using any format of your choice (article, video, audio, art/illustration)

• You can even submit anonymously.  

• Feeling stuck? Our team can help you write and edit your story or make a video with you. 

• Questions? Email us at stories@itsoktotalk.in if you have a question or want help with your contribution.

Looking for resources?

You can read some advice on

• understanding and dealing with depression here

• coping with anxiety here

• videos and downloadable materials to better understand mental health challenges here

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