Mental Health Support Sees Sharp Rise in 2025 as Youth Participation Skyrockets

According to the report by 1to1help, one of India’s leading Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providers working with organisations across sectors to support employees’ emotional wellbeing, mental health and workplace resilience, data collected between December 1, 2024 and November 30, 2025 shows that more than 35,000 individuals accessed over 100,000 counselling sessions during the year.

The overall counselling utilisation rate increased to 4.6 per cent in 2025, compared with 3.7 per cent in 2024. Women continued to seek support slightly more than men, accounting for 53 per cent of users, while men made up 46 per cent.

The most significant shift was seen in age-wise participation. The under-25 age group recorded the highest growth, rising from just 3 percent of users in 2024 to 14 per cent in 2025. Employees aged 25 to 30 remained the primary users of counselling services, accounting for 37 per cent of all sessions during the year.

Personal concerns emerged as the leading reason for seeking help, contributing to 46 per cent of all counselling sessions. Workplace-related issues accounted for 15 per cent, followed by marital relationships at 12 per cent and social relationships at 11 per cent.

The report also highlighted the emotional and behavioural impact of these concerns. Stress was reported by 13 percent of users and anxiety by 10 per cent. Overthinking or rumination was the most common cognitive concern, affecting 24 percent of individuals.

At a functional level, 15 percent of users reported difficulties with self-care, while 8 per cent faced communication challenges. The impact of mental health concerns extended into personal relationships, with family life affected for 19 percent of users and romantic relationships for 11 per cent.

The findings further reveal risk among help seekers. Around 26 per cent of individuals showed indications of self-harm or suicidal thoughts, and 5 per cent required urgent intervention due to active suicidal ideation accompanied by both intent and access to means.

Despite the severity and complexity of cases, the report points to encouraging recovery outcomes. Nearly 97 per cent of individuals demonstrated measurable progress towards their counselling goals. Among those who screened positive for depression and anxiety, about 40 to 42 per cent showed a significant reduction in symptoms following counselling.

The report concludes that early access to structured and evidence-based mental health support remains critical in helping young employees and working professionals stabilise, recover and improve overall wellbeing.