Bengaluru: When 22-year-old Mahesh (name changed), a Bengaluru student dialled Tele-MANASmental health helpline14416, he wasn’t sure if his condition warranted help. His friends brushed aside his concerns as normal stress. But for over a month, Mahesh experienced disturbed sleep and appetite, a persistent low mood, and a lack of interest in activities — which began after he got disappointing exam results.A thorough risk assessment by his Tele-MANAS counsellor revealed no red flags, but it reassured him that his issues were real and symptoms treatable.He was referred to local district mental health programme (DMHP) team. When a follow-up call was made 20 days later, Mahesh had already met a psychiatrist, started medication, and said he was feeling significantly better — mainly because someone finally took his suffering seriously.Every month this year, Tele-MANAS, a free phone-based mental health support service, has been receiving close to one lakh calls from across India — an almost 50-fold increase since its inception in 2022. In Bengaluru, the number of calls was 180 in 2022, which rose to 4,985 in 2024. Until May 6 this year, the helpline has received 3,123 calls. The total call volume from Karnataka until May 6 this year is 1,15,260. Among the various concerns, persistent sadness and related symptoms top the list. This kind of emotional distress accounts for nearly a quarter of all calls, according to data from National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans). “People complain they feel sad due to multiple causes — from financial trouble to relationship problems,” said Dr C Naveen Kumar, professor of psychiatry and head of community psychiatry at Nimhans. “But sadness disturbs their functioning and remains for a period that they consider significant. It is then they reach out to us.”The largest share of callers falls in the 18 to 45 years age group. A significant portion of callers are students facing academic stress, alongside working professionals and individuals navigating relationship difficulties.Together, these groups make up nearly 19 per cent of all calls. Although the current dataset doesn’t explicitly track spikes tied to specific events like exam results, Dr Kumar noted call volume from students increases during examination seasons. States like Karnataka have actively helped raise awareness by printing Tele-MANAS helpline number on school textbooks.While most callers benefit from brief supportive counselling, about 16.9 per cent of callers from across the country are referred for in-person evaluation through public health system — like Mahesh, whose recovery started with one phone call.BOXTele-MANAS Free 24/7 mental health support: Call 14416 to connect with a counsellorBox 2Total call volume in BengaluruYear – Total Calls2022 – 1802023 – 3,0752024 – 4,9852025 (till May 6) – 3,123Total – 11,363Who are the callersMen: 52.8%Women: 47.1%Transgender: 0.1% How old are the callers0-12 years – 3.6%13-17 years – 6.3%18-45 years – 67.6%46-64 years – 17.4%65+ years – 5.1%Common reported problemsSadness and other related symptoms – 33.3%Stress related to exam/work/relationship – 10.6%Sleep issues – 11.4%General anxiety, panic or phobias – 10.6%*Until May 6* Since most calls in Karnataka are from Bengaluru, the commonly reported mental health issues in the state is being assumed similar to that of Bengaluru *Source: Nimhans