Where the combined suicide rate of the entire world except India is 11.6 deaths per 1 lakh population, India registers 10.5 deaths per 1 lakh population. India has the highest rate of suicide cases in the whole world. 153,000 deaths were registered in India in 2020.

A huge cause behind suicide is undealt mental problems. Indians don’t seek professional help to deal with their mental issues. This leads to many taking drastic steps to solve their issues. According to UNICEF, where 83% of the youth from 21 countries are willing to take professional support for mental issues, only 41% of India’s youth think it is a good idea. This is how stigma is limiting many Indians even in the younger generation not getting help.

The pandemic made the mental health of Indians even worse. The Indian Psychiatry Society reported a 20% rise in mental illness cases since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Krishna Veer Singh was one such person that suffered the heat of the pandemic and the challenges it bought. The constant stream of negative news plus the fear of the pandemic plus the health of his immediate family made it mentally challenging for Krishna. To solve this he got along with his acquaintance Tarun Gupta. The ex-Uber employees launched Lissun in 2021.

Lissun is a chatbot that helps detect the user’s mental health condition. The AI-led app can detect when things are rough for the user. Depending on the condition of the user the bot will then direct the user to journal and meditate to deal with everyday stress or will direct the user to a therapist.

The Lissun team is made up of alumni from IIT, IIM, ISB and NIMHANS. The venture has around 10 mental health professionals on its platform and is currently active in Delhi and NCR. They have so far witnessed 500 downloads. The venture has even received $500,000 from multiple angel investors. 

With 1 in 20 Indians suffering from depression, it is a grave problem for India. The leading cause of non-fatal disease burden in India is mental health problems and disorders. It leads to  2,443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 10,000 population. Will startups like Lissun make Indians more open to seeking professional help?