New Delhi: An AIIMS psychiatrist on Tuesday warned that excessive screen time and dependence on social media were leading to loneliness and social disconnect among youth, and urged them to make “real and not reel” friends.

Dr Nand Kumar, professor in the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS Delhi, expressed concern over rising cases of suicide, especially among young people. He attributed many such cases to an inability to cope with mental pressure, rejection, criticism and difficult real-life situations.

To enhance resilience and promote emotional well-being, AIIMS-Delhi, in collaboration with CBSE, has been running the MATE programme in Delhi-NCR schools. Mind Activation Through Education (MATE) is aimed at helping children build resilience and cope with stress and anxiety.

“The programme emphasises that every child should have five friends with whom they can share feelings and emotions,” Dr Kumar said. “The idea is to teach children to build real friends instead of reel friends.” Counsellors, after five days of training, are placed in schools to observe student behaviour and report back for discussion and analysis.

Dr Kumar stressed that emotional health is integral to overall health, influencing thoughts, feelings, behaviour, decision-making and relationships. He also noted that relaxation and boredom are essential for fresh thinking and mental well-being.

Citing WHO data, he said the burden of mental health in India is 2,443 disability-adjusted life years per 10,000 population, with an age-adjusted suicide rate of 21.1 per 100,000. India ideally needs one psychiatrist per 100,000 people, but has only 0.7, while WHO recommends three. He added that 70-90 per cent of people do not receive necessary mental health treatment due to stigma and lack of awareness.