A clinical study by Cadabam's Hospitals was featured in The Hindu, challenging one of the most common assumptions about student mental health — that academic pressure is the biggest burden young people carry.
The study drew on over 58,000 student touchpoints across 3,569 documented counselling sessions in schools and colleges across Bengaluru. Its central finding: family conflict (14%) outranks academic stress (10%) as the reason students seek psychological support. Anxiety emerged as the leading concern overall (29%), and pre-university students showed the highest self-harm concerns among the groups studied.
The findings point to how much of a student's emotional life begins well beyond the classroom. Feeling unheard at home adds to the emotional burden, while supportive relationships remain one of the strongest protective factors for young people navigating distress.
"Academic pressure is often blamed first when students struggle. But unresolved conflict at home can affect their emotional security, concentration and ability to cope with everyday challenges," said Neha Cadabam, Senior Psychologist and Executive Director at Cadabam's Hospitals, calling for emotionally safe environments — at home and in classrooms — where students feel heard without fear of judgement.
At Cadabam's Hospitals, our team offers integrated mental health support for children, adolescents, and families — from counselling for anxiety and self-harm concerns to family therapy that helps rebuild communication and emotional safety at home. If a young person in your life is struggling, our team is here to help.