Why Indian Schools Fail Children's Mental Health | Dr. Avinash | Md Sadique Akhter | EP003

Indian schools are measured on infrastructure, rankings, and board results, but almost never on emotional safety. So what is missing? MD Psychiatrist Dr. Avinash De Sousa, who began his career as a school counsellor, explains why schools react only after a crisis, why parents miss the early signs of distress, and why a child's problems often start at 9 or 10 but only reach a doctor at 14 or 15. He also covers teacher mental health, exam pressure, parents' unfulfilled dreams, gadgets and social media, and what every school should do right now. His core message: there are no bad children, only children who want love, affection, and attention. According to the WHO figure cited in this episode, half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 00:00 Preview 01:38 Introduction 02:07 Are schools emotionally safe today? 03:04 Who should step in: parents, schools or policymakers? 04:16 Why India reacts only after an incident 06:03 Why parents miss early signs of distress 08:12 Learning disability mistaken for laziness 10:47 Learning disability vs mental distress 12:27 Misbehaviour or a cry for help? 17:23 Teacher stress and teacher mental health 21:34 Why schools correct instead of finding the root cause 23:24 What happens when early signs are ignored 27:15 Parents' unfulfilled dreams and career pressure 31:01 Scolding, strict parenting and "we were strict too" 33:57 When academic pressure becomes emotional distress 36:39 Screening students: the questions schools should ask 39:06 What teachers should do when a child is struggling 42:15 Counsellors and psychiatrists in every school 45:17 Are school mental health programs just branding? 47:25 Is mental health an excuse for misbehaviour? 48:09 Training teachers to respond 51:15 Where children's distress really comes from 52:11 Gadgets, Instagram and phones: what parents must do 55:36 Policy gaps: social media and gaming age limits 58:36 What social media companies should do 1:00:30 Top things every school should do right now 1:02:53 One thing for teachers, parents and the system 1:04:28 India's next 20 years and the final message 👨‍⚕️ ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Avinash De Sousa is a Consultant Psychiatrist at Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry. He has published widely in internationally indexed journals and is the founder of the Desousa Foundation, which works on public mental health education for children and adolescents. 📌 ABOUT DECODE BY SADIQUE Decode by Sadique is a one-to-one interview series featuring India's top professionals — decoding the systems, decisions, and industries that shape everyday life. ◼ Website: https://decodebysadique.com/ ◼ LinkedIn:   / sadiqueakhter   ◼ Decode by Sadique Instagram:   / decodebysadique   ◼ Sadique’s Instagram:   / sadiqueakhter   🔔 Subscribe for more in-depth conversations ⚠️ IMPORTANT This video is for education and awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If a child says life is not worth living or talks about harming themselves, take it seriously and seek help from a doctor or mental health professional right away. In India, you can call Tele-MANAS at 14416 (free, 24x7). #ChildMentalHealth #SchoolMentalHealth #DecodeBySadique