Emotional distress rising in the city: Report

Experts believe that the correct diagnosis is difficult. “Often people do not know what to call it, but they know they are not coping,” said Parveen Shaikh, president of Mpower.

Childhood Stress Center-Center-Kochi

NEW DELHI: An analysis of mental health trends in the capital indicates a significant shift, with chronic emotional distress and daily coping challenges now outpacing acute crises.

Data from Mpower, an initiative of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, reveals that Delhi residents are increasingly seeking help for low moods and feelings of getting overwhelmed, irritability, and exhaustion tied to urban stress.

Experts believe that the correct diagnosis is difficult. “Often people do not know what to call it, but they know they are not coping,” said Parveen Shaikh, president of Mpower.

To fill this gap, Mpower has pioneered low-barrier interventions. A recent free Art Therapy workshop in Delhi provided a non-verbal, safe space for expression, representing a broader strategy to make mental health support more accessible and stigma free.