In the Indian collective imagination, motherhood is draped in the sacred. We view it as a state of ultimate fulfilment—an instinctive, joyful, and selfless journey. But as a psychotherapist, I see the shadow side of this pedestal: a silent epidemic of suffering. We have built a culture where we worship the ‘Mother,’ yet we systematically neglect the woman inside her.
It is time to state a hard truth: Motherhood is not immunity from mental illness.
According to 2024-2025 research, the prevalence of postpartum depression in India ranges from 22 per cent to 30 per cent, with rates of postpartum anxiety climbing as high as 34 per cent. For many, this is not just “the blues”—it is a period of profound neurobiological and psychological vulnerability.
The dangerous myth: “A mother should be naturally happy”
The first hurdle to maternal well-being is the “Motherhood Myth.” In India, we are raised on stories of maternal sacrifice and boundless bliss. This archetype, transmitted across generations, creates an unachievable standard. When a mother feels sad, numb, or angry, she rarely thinks, “I need medical help.” Instead, she thinks, “There is something wrong with me.”
Research indicates that many Indian middle-class women dismiss these symptoms as “Western” medicalisation, effectively silencing their own suffering. This myth doesn’t just ignore pain; it prevents it from being named, leaving mothers to drown in a sea of “shoulds.”
Hormones don’t care about culture
We must stop treating maternal mental health as purely emotional. It is deeply neurobiological. The “fourth trimester” is a period of massive physiological upheaval that love alone cannot fix:
*Hormonal Crashes: Immediately after birth, estrogen and progesterone levels—which reached 1000 times their baseline during pregnancy—drop precipitously.
*Neurochemical Instability: This drop affects neurotransmitter systems like GABA, the brain’s primary calming signal.
*System Overload: Severe sleep deprivation and pain recovery are not just “hard parts of parenting”; they are clinical risk factors for depression, OCD, and psychosis.
We don’t question a diabetic mother’s love for her child. We understand her body needs insulin. Why do we question a depressed mother’s love when her brain simply needs its own form of clinical regulation?
The modern Indian burden: Double load, zero rest
We romanticise the “village support” of the past, but the reality for the 2026 Indian mother is often starkly different. Today’s mothers face:
*Nuclear Isolation: Living in urban centres with partners working long hours and no reliable help.
*The “Perfect” Trap: Crushing pressure to be the “Perfect Bahu” (daughter-in-law) and “Perfect Maa.”
*Chronic Invisible Labour: The mental load of managing a household while caring for a newborn, often with zero recovery time.
When burnout becomes inevitable, it isn’t a personal failure—it is a systemic one. India currently faces a massive treatment gap, with less than 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people. In such a landscape, individual struggles are exacerbated by a lack of institutional support.
Why mothers don’t seek help: The loudness of shame
Common thoughts I hear in my sessions include: “Good mothers don’t complain” or “Other women manage, why can’t I?” Guilt keeps mothers from seeking therapy. They fear that admitting they are struggling is admitting they are “bad” mothers.
However, mental illness and attachment are not opposites. You can adore and protect your child while battling a chemical imbalance. When we let shame win, the illness worsens. Not because the condition is mild, but because the silence is too loud.
The generational cost: Maternal health is child health
Ignoring this issue doesn’t just hurt the mother; it impacts the next generation. When a mother suffers silently:
*Bonding becomes harder: Emotional attunement reduces because the mother is in a state of constant dysregulation.
*Child Development: Studies show that untreated maternal depression can lead to lower birth weights, reduced breastfeeding, and even potential cognitive delays in children.
Supporting mothers is not just “kindness”—it is critical prevention work. A regulated mother is the foundation of a healthy family system.
Reframing motherhood: Strength includes asking for help
We must shift the narrative. Strength isn’t suffering in silence; strength is recognising when you need a bridge to get back to your best self.
*Therapy is not a failure.
*Medication is not a weakness.
*Rest is not an indulgence.
If we truly worship mothers, we must care for them—not just with flowers, but with clinical, emotional, and structural support.
Mpowering Minds Women’s Mental Health: Join the conversation
The crisis of maternal mental health requires urgent action. At ‘Empowering Minds’, experts will discuss the critical need for integrated maternal healthcare and how we can bridge the treatment gap in India.
Dr Meghna Singhal is a psychotherapist, in partnership with Mpowering Minds: Women’s Mental Health Summit.
(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK)
