Kohima: Mokokchung lacks a resident psychiatrist. The district faces mounting cases of stress, depression, addiction, and severe mental illness. Residents needing specialized care must wait for visiting doctors or travel elsewhere. First Rain Foundation surveys from 2025 show over half of 600 youth respondents experience anxiety. Nearly one in three reported depression. One in six admitted to self-harm or suicide attempts.
A 2026 assessment of 141 people linked these struggles to unemployment and substance abuse. First Rain Foundation Director Lanusenla Jamir addressed these findings. "Mental health struggles should not become the reason someone stops dreaming, stops studying, stops working, stops loving, or stops believing they have something meaningful to contribute," Jamir said. Stigma remains a major barrier. Many families view mental illness as a personal failure or lack of faith.
The First Rain Foundation and the Mental Illness Treatment Alliance, a project of Action Northeast Trust, started monthly clinics to fill this void. The program marked its one-year anniversary on August 7. Seventy-eight patients between ages 16 and 85 have received care. One patient managing schizophrenia for 13 years stopped using drugs after seeking help. Another regained confidence after years of panic attacks.
Dr. Mintu Moni Sarma, team lead for the alliance, said medical professionals cannot act alone. Community support is vital. The network began in Assam in 2007 and now operates in 33 locations across Northeast India and Bihar. All India Radio Mokokchung broadcasts information to help spread awareness. Still, monthly camps cannot replace a permanent specialist. The district needs a stronger, year-round infrastructure to end the cycle of silence and isolation.
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