India, May 29 -- India's mental health crisis is quietly escalating. With a suicide rate of 12.6 per 100,000 people, ranked among the worst 50 in the world, the urgency is clear. Yet, our understanding remains limited. The last national mental health survey was conducted in 2015-16, revealing a ratio of just 0.75 psychiatrists per 1 lakh people-substantially lower than WHO's recommendation of 3. While mental health services have expanded in the years since, access remains deeply unequal. Stigma continues to cast a long shadow: Unlike physical health, seeking mental health care is still met with silence, shame, and social discomfort.

For LGBTQIA+ communities, the gaps are starker. Stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion compound ment...