World Mental Health Day – Chennaionline

GM5 (Give Me Five - https://gm5.io/) – Australia based psychological wellness platform, that has been collaborating on projects in India for the past three years, has released a report highlighting a growing mental health crisis among school students in Karnataka and Telangana through its technology-enabled screening platform. The GM5 School Survey covered 11 schools in total, engaging 2,464 students across Telangana and 2,536 students across Karnataka to assess the state of psychological well-being among adolescents. The report highlights an alarming surge in psychological distress among government and private school students aged 10-18, results mirror international data contributing to a silent epidemic that is largely overlooked. Brendan Fahey, Founder and Chairman, GM5 said, “So far, approximately 5000+ individual students across India have already sought guidance and emotional counselling through the GM5 B2B platform. Our aim through the GM5 survey is to bring visibility to these silent struggles, the insight from this study reaffirms our belief that proactive, data-driven approaches are vital to nurturing emotionally resilient students and communities.” Alarming Insights from Karnataka and Telangana Schools According to the GM5 survey in Karnataka and Telangana, nearly 24% of school students aged 10–18 show signs of psychological distress, with 6–10% falling in the high or critical range that requires immediate support. The report is based on responses from over 5,000 students across government and independent schools in the two states. More than 60% reported sleep difficulties, such as trouble falling asleep or waking not well rested, while over 70% faced challenges with focus and concentration in class. Around 40% of students expressed concerns about disappointing important people in their lives like parents and teachers and less than 75% of students feel isolated and disconnected from support networks, placing them at high risk of long-term emotional and academic challenges. The most dominant and recurring stressors were the crippling fear of letting parents down, coupled with the widespread inability to sleep or concentrate. “These results highlight that students are open to seeking help however introverted students or those concerned about stigma feel more comfortable turning to digital platforms and mental health applications for guidance and support. There is a need for a structured cohort-based psycho-education programs in schools, as well as technology-driven mental health solutions. With confidential screening, schools can identify issues early and provide the support students need.” said Dr. Lisa Fahey OAM, Founder & CEO, GM5. The survey findings point to the importance of regular well-being checks in schools, underscoring the critical value of early screening, better collaboration between students, teachers, and parents, and targeted support for common challenges like sleep, focus, and stress management among youth.