TeenBook

Sahil

When “Everything’s Fine” Isn’t the Whole Truth

At first glance, Sahil seemed like the kind of student every parent would be proud of - confident, composed and well-mannered. The Class 8 student from S.N Public School (a low-resource budget school) in northeast Delhi was the first to fill out the mental well-being screening form. He did it quickly, without hesitation. His teachers had no complaints either. He studied regularly, played outside, and shared everything with his mother. He even got help from his father with studies. In his own words, “Sab theek hai (everything is fine).”

But the results of Sahil’s mental well-being screening, carried out as part of the TeenBook Student Well-Being Program, told a different story. He was at high risk and in need of urgent psychological support. He was immediately offered Psychological First Aid (PFA), a support session provided to all students identified as at-risk. Surprised by the discrepancy between his responses and his behavior, our counselor probed a bit further. During the session, Sahil remained firm, he had no problems, he followed a good routine, and everything at home was “normal.”

We reached out to his mother. But the moment a consultation with a psychologist was suggested, her demeanor shifted sharply. "Are you calling my child mentally ill? Why does he need a psychologist? This is normal, all children get angry at this age!"

Her response echoed what we often hear from well-meaning parents across India. The stigma surrounding mental health runs deep, and the word “psychologist” is too quickly misunderstood as a diagnosis, a label, a problem. We knew this conversation needed patience and empathy.

We explained that a psychologist is not just for “mental illness.” Much like we visit a doctor for a cold or fever, mental health professionals support our thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

Slowly, the resistance melted. She began to reflect on Sahil’s behavior. How he relied on her for everything until recently. How she only just stopped packing his school bag and bathing him, and was now trying to give him more responsibility. She spoke with pride about her elder daughter who was more independent, but admitted she was still figuring out how to raise her son differently.

What she truly wanted wasn’t complex, “I just want my son to be confident, educated, have a good job, and most importantly, be happy.”