What Kerala’s New Mental Health Survey Means for Mental Health Counselling in Kerala
Mental health counselling in Kerala has never been more important than it is right now. On August 24, 2026, the second phase of the National Mental Health Survey officially commenced in Kerala, launched by State Health Minister Veena George. The survey is conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) on behalf of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
This is significant. The last time a survey of this scale was conducted in Kerala was in 2015 to 2016. A decade later, a new picture is being drawn of mental health in this state. What it reveals will shape policy, resource allocation, and hopefully public awareness for years to come.
What the Survey Is Actually Measuring
The NIMHANS survey is not simply counting the number of people with mental health conditions. According to the Deshabhimani report on the launch, the survey examines five specific areas.
First, it estimates how widespread mental health problems are among adults and adolescents across Kerala. Second, it measures the extent of disability caused by these conditions, since mental illness often affects a person’s ability to work, study, and maintain relationships in ways that go far beyond the emotional experience itself. Third, it looks at the financial and emotional impact on families and caregivers. Fourth, it assesses levels of psychological stress across the population. Fifth, it evaluates whether the existing mental health services in Kerala are adequate to meet the actual need.
This last point is the most critical. The first National Mental Health Survey found that although Kerala possesses better healthcare infrastructure compared to many other states, there are significant gaps in service delivery, a lack of mental health awareness, inadequate resource allocation, and an urgent need to increase the availability of expert mental health professionals and specialised facilities.
In Kerala, the survey is being coordinated by the Departments of Psychiatry and Community Medicine at Alappuzha Government Medical College.
What the First Survey Told Us About Mental Health Counselling in Kerala
Before looking at what the new survey might find, it is worth understanding what the 2015 to 2016 survey already confirmed. The prevalence of mental health problems among adults in Kerala was found to be 11.36%, with depression, anxiety, and substance use identified as the most frequently observed conditions.
Furthermore,the survey highlighted the high risk of suicide and the prevalence of stress-related disorders as critical areas requiring urgent attention. It also found that despite Kerala’s educated population, mental health awareness remained low and help-seeking behaviour was significantly below what the scale of need demanded.
This is the backdrop against which the second survey begins. A decade of change has brought new stressors. The Covid-19 pandemic. Economic pressure. Social media and adolescent mental health. The ageing population. The NRI family mental health gap. The caregiver burnout crisis. All of these have developed significantly since 2015 and none of them were fully captured in the first survey’s data.
What This Means for Families in Trivandrum Right Now
The survey’s findings will take time to publish. However the fact that the government has commissioned this survey at all tells us something important: the scale of mental health need in Kerala has become too significant to continue without a comprehensive, updated picture.
For families in Trivandrum this is not an abstract policy development. It reflects a reality that many households already know from the inside. A parent whose teenager has become withdrawn and anxious. A family navigating the mental health of an ageing grandparent. A caregiver exhausted by years of managing someone else’s wellbeing alongside their own. A couple whose relationship is under strain from pressures they have not had the space or permission to name.
Additionally, the survey’s focus on adolescent mental health is particularly relevant right now. Kerala’s adolescents are navigating academic pressure, social media, identity, and in many cases the absence of a parent who is working abroad. The survey specifically aims to identify region-specific challenges and support the formulation of effective policy measures for adolescents and adults. Child counselling and adolescent support in Trivandrum address exactly this population.
The survey’s attention to caregiver stress is equally significant. The survey will look at the financial and emotional impact on families and the stress faced by caregivers, and whether existing mental health services are enough to meet the needs of the people. Family counselling in Trivandrum supports not just the individual experiencing distress but the family system around them.
The Gap Between Data and Action
Surveys measure. They do not treat. The value of the NIMHANS survey is that it will produce evidence that should drive policy and resource allocation. However, between the evidence and the policy and between the policy and the clinic, there is always a gap. And in that gap people continue to manage what they are carrying, often without support.
Moreover, the first survey’s findings from 2015 to 2016 were clear enough to recommend significant changes in Kerala’s mental health infrastructure. A decade later a second survey has become necessary, which suggests that the changes recommended did not happen at the pace or scale that the data demanded.
This is not a criticism of policy alone. It is a reflection of the role that accessible, private mental health counselling in Kerala plays in the ecosystem. When public infrastructure is under-resourced, qualified private practitioners fill a critical gap. Anxiety counselling, depression counselling, and stress counselling in Trivandrum are available now, without waiting for a policy response or a new government programme.
Online therapy has also expanded access significantly. Families across Kerala and NRI clients worldwide can access professional psychological support in Malayalam and English without geographic or logistical barriers.
Mental Health Counselling in Kerala With Rajula Maniyeri
Rajula Maniyeri is an RCI licensed lady psychologist in Trivandrum offering professional counselling for individuals, children, couples, and families. With over a decade of clinical experience, she provides support across anxiety, depression, stress, family conflict, relationship difficulties, child and adolescent mental health, and postpartum depression.
Sessions are available in person at the clinic in Ambalamukku, Thiruvananthapuram, and online for clients across Kerala and NRI families worldwide in both Malayalam and English.
If you have been putting off seeking support, the fact that the government is now surveying the scale of mental health need in this state is a reminder that what you are experiencing is real, it is common, and it deserves professional attention. Fill in the contact form to book a session in person or online.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact iCall at 9152987821 or Vandrevala Foundation at 1860-2662-345, available 24 hours a day.