Numerous public health studies show that South Asian Australians face a disproportionate burden of chronic health challenges, particularly among immigrants rather than Australian-born individuals of South Asian heritage. While research has focused heavily on physical health, there is a pressing need to comprehensively examine this demographic’s mental health experiences.

Despite growing discussions in social and formal circles, mental health remains largely absent in the cultural dialogue within South Asian communities, including Australia’s Indian diaspora.

At the same time, public discourse is calling for greater cultural competence training for counsellors and mental health professionals to address the unique barriers faced by this group. Amidst this, individuals and organisations are working to amplify the mental health experiences of Indian Australians, with increasing calls to prioritise men’s mental health.

Why isn’t mental health spoken about?

Generally, within the Indian community, mental health has featured poorly, if at all, in personal and societal discourse. Much like other sensitive topics such as sexual and reproductive health, mental health is often relegated to the “not our business” category in many desi families. This is especially notable in families of recently arrived migrants from India or other South Asian countries.

Frequently, the responsibility of educating and raising awareness about mental health is left to schools, which many Indian parents trust to have these conversations more openly and effectively.

Part of the motivation behind this is that desi parents often lack the exposure or experience to engage in difficult conversations about mental health themselves. Like their parents before them, they have typically swept the issue under the rug, only for it to manifest in worsening health outcomes across generations.

This cultural avoidance, driven by a general unease to tackle “difficult” and sometimes “thorny” topics, has led to important and life-changing narratives being overlooked.

A key consideration is the fact that mental health discussions should occur both within families and in school environments. Building a knowledge base and talking about the issue with loved ones helps strengthen resilience, create support networks, and foster individual capacity.

Indian men are also a key group at risk of a worsening mental health burden. Generally, men tend to fare poorly in measures of mental health, stress, and coping ability, which has led to the development of numerous campaigns and programs aimed at addressing these challenges. Given this, it is not surprising that when the added cultural context described above is factored in, the mental health of Indian men is further exacerbated and often described as being at critical levels of need and intervention.

Men’s mental health

A study conducted by Rajesh Maheshwari and Zachary Steel in 2012 on Indian Australians found that 15% of the study population recorded high to very high levels of psychological distress. Of note, 91% of study participants did not seek mental health support or consultation.

More contemporarily, Bridgit Phillip’s study on Indian migrant constructions of mental illness in the perinatal period indicates a reluctance on part of Indian men to discuss mental health and wellbeing. Despite aspersions to the fact that mental health is acknowledged as an “elephant in the room” male participants expressed a preference for not discussing the topic.

Additionally, Tirani Kodippili and others find that these factors contribute to “acculturative stress,” a phenomenon where the struggle to adapt to a new culture—while also managing the expectations of both one’s heritage and adopted country—negatively impacts psychological wellbeing.

Taken together, these factors provide a snapshot of the current problem: Indian men’s mental health is not being discussed where it needs to be, that there is a reluctance to tackle the problem directly, and that cultural barriers need to be sensitively navigated.

Current efforts and programs

While there are no specifically targeted men’s mental health programs aimed at Indian Australians, there are a number of multicultural support services which can more sensitively address the cultural barriers noted above. Mental Health Australia is one support service, which carefully notes cultural perspectives in its provision of care. A number of Local Health Districts (LHDs) also offer multicultural health services, which cater to diverse communities at risk of health complications.

More general support can be found among organisations such as Movember, The Black Dog Institute and Beyond Blue.

However, the need for a targeted, culturally responsive support system for South Asian Australians—especially Indian men—can no longer be ignored. Just as crucial is breaking the silence within desi families, where difficult but necessary conversations about mental health must take place. For too long, cultural barriers have forced many to endure their struggles alone, without the understanding or support they deserve. This is not just a gap in services—it is a crisis. A dedicated support system isn’t optional; it is essential. It is a matter of lives, of futures, of change that cannot wait. The time is not tomorrow. The time is now.

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