World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2026; this year’s theme—“Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change”—deserves more than an awareness programme, a poster or a social media message. It asks an uncomfortable question: we talk a lot about mental health in Kashmir, but have we really taken the time to listen to those who live it?

Mental health has become increasingly visible in public discourse. Schools, colleges and healthcare institutions organise awareness programmes, and professionals speak about depression, anxiety, suicide prevention and substance use. That is welcome. But awareness and understanding are not the same. We may know what depression is and still judge the person who suffers from it. We may discuss anxiety and tell an anxious student to “just be confident”. We may call addiction a disease and still look at a person recovering from substance use with suspicion. Somewhere between awareness and acceptance lies the human being whose voice often remains unheard.

As psychiatrists, we meet patients every day. Each arrives with a diagnosis, perhaps a prescription and perhaps a family member beside them. But behind every diagnosis is a story. Patients need medicines, but they also need to be heard, understood and involved in decisions about their care. A young person with examination anxiety is not merely an “anxiety case”; a person with depression is not merely a “depressive patient”; a person struggling with addiction is not merely an “addict”. There are dreams, fears, relationships, disappointments, expectations and circumstances. Sometimes, listening to that story is itself therapeutic.

A young student once came to us after three difficult attempts at the NEET examination. She had worked hard, had the academic ability and wanted to become a doctor, but performance anxiety became overwhelming. She missed the qualifying mark by only a few marks. Three attempts can make a young person question intelligence, worth and future. Eventually, she found the courage to seek psychiatric help—a difficult step in a setting where stigma remains strong. She received a simple, focused intervention, including medication for a limited period around the examination, with support and reassurance. Sometimes a small intervention at the right time can prevent a young person from losing faith in herself.

Recently, she returned to the same hospital—not as a patient, but as a young aspiring doctor who had qualified........

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