Feeling Anxious, Lonely & Trapped: How The Family Crisis is Fuelling the Suicide Epidemic in India

The family crisis in India is silently ringing the mental health alarm for students, driving the suicide epidemic. You can ignore the grim reality until the numbers portray a different picture. The 2024 NCRB report estimated 14,488 student suicides in a single year. Do you know the main reason? Family problems are the first reason, followed by exam failure.

Behind the locked doors, kids sitting in their rooms, feeling anxious and alone, wonder whether their family would care if they disappeared one day. It is not the parents’ love that feels suffocating, but the mounting expectations that feel so burdensome to carry along the academic journey.  You remain awake till 2 AM and cannot cut off the noise.

When home no longer remains “sweet home”, but a “prison of stress”

When we dwell at length on academic pressure and exam failures, we can scarcely ignore the dark reality of Kota coaching culture— how budding minds are lost under the excruciating pressure of family expectations. According to NCRB data, "failure in examination" accounts for 2,032 deaths. But what’s more concerning is that family problems lead to 3,101 student deaths in the same period. The crisis is not brewing just in the classroom; the broader family dynamic is moving the needle in the background.

What does the actual picture look like?

Students hesitate about sharing the “lows” in their lives with their parents  "I Told My Parents I Was Struggling — And It Made Everything Worse". If they ask for support about how to deal with depression, they don’t receive comfort, but a clear dismissal and denial. “What will society say?” is the only thing parents care about.

This unsettling answer leads students to the dungeon of depression and isolation. In the course of time, mental exhaustion becomes your constant companion; you smile at the dinner table, but deep inside, you are growling in pain to find solace. Overthinking takes hold of you, and every mark you score, you feel like you have disappointed them. Self-confidence takes a nosedive, and you keep asking questions - “Is it worth living this life?”

“What is emotional exhaustion?” It may sound dramatic, but in reality, it is not. You are following the regular practices - eating, bathing, studying and existing, but without remaining yourself. You don't feel the happiness to do your work, and what you feel is a tormenting numbness.

What are the long-term effects of parental pressure on Indian students' mental health and relationships?

Amid the family expectations, you keep on asking, “How can I score good marks in the exam?” Finding fault with yourself has become a daily ritual, but you fail to see the wrong in the environment that you are trying to survive in. 

Feeling lonely in a house of crowds

In a house full of people, you are devoured by a sense of hollowness. This invisible loneliness, if persist for a long time, triggers anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. When Indian households fail to welcome emotional expression, students follow the only available path.

Self-worth at stake under high-control parenting 

Besieged by overly controlling parents, students often struggle with people-pleasing,  persistent self-doubt, difficulty managing boundaries in adult relationships, and fear of failure that hounds them long after they leave the exam hall. What parents call proper upbringing through strict discipline and routine actually turns out to be a stumbling block to the psychological growth of their kids. 

Poor performance due to continuous overthinking patterns 

As you are conditioned to monitor your performance to meet your parents’ expectations, you don't know how to stop overthinking. You cannot cut off the loop of overthinking and fail to perform excellently under pressure.

Stress mounts up, taking a toll on mental well-being

Every morning you wake up with the same thought: “What happens if I fail again?”  

The pressure to perform to the mark gradually wears on your mental health until one day, you start browsing the internet tirelessly to find the solution to how to relieve stress quickly.

Let’s talk it out because bottling up the feelings hurts 

If you're still at a loss about how to deal with parental pressure or have no one to share your feelings with, one thing you can do: Reach out to TalkitOut. Our experts listen to your concerns without judging you for your responses. We know the fear is real, but you should not shrink away from managing the fear and live a happy and joyful life.  The guidance and counselling can help you set emotional boundaries, even quietly and slowly, because it is a matter of survival.

The system is failing students, and families are not well-equipped to support them in the journey of life. But the answer isn't to go quiet. It's to find the right room to speak in. Talk to someone at Talk It Out. Your first step doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be a step.

FAQs

Q: How do I know if what I'm felling anxious or stress?

If your stress persists, affecting your sleep and appetite, it shows that you no longer enjoy the things that would give you immense happiness in the past. It is the constant helplessness or the feeling of loneliness that are the clear indicators of stress.

Q: What is the best platform for guidance and counselling for mental well-being?

TalkitOut is one of the best platforms for people who don't feel the courage to navigate the challenges of life, specifically the academic pressure and family expectations. Our experts help them shed their suppressed feelings and live happily. 

Q: What's the fastest way to relieve stress quickly?

The first way to relieve stress quickly is to write down the things that currently disturb you. Go for walking, stretching and breathing exercises to relieve your mind of stress.