By: Arshid Qalm

This is the book I’m writing—A Holistic Approach to Adolescent Mental Health: India and Kashmir Centric. It is not just a collection of research, theories, or academic discourse; it is a movement toward building a sustainable mental health ecosystem for adolescents. It is a blueprint for change, a vision for an education system that nurtures not just academic excellence but emotional resilience, psychological well-being, and social intelligence.

Adolescence is a transformative yet challenging phase, marked by emotional turbulence, cognitive expansion, and social reorientation. It is the stage where young individuals start to forge their identities, shape their perspectives, and lay the foundation for their future selves. However, it is also a time when many adolescents silently struggle with stress, anxiety, social pressures, academic burdens, and unresolved emotional conflicts. Despite the urgent need for psychological support, mental health remains an overlooked aspect of education, particularly in India, where the emphasis on academic achievements often overshadows the emotional well-being of students.

The situation becomes even more complex in regions like Jammu and Kashmir, where adolescents carry an additional burden of historical trauma, socio-political discord, and exposure to instability. Unlike their peers in stable environments, many students in Kashmir grow up witnessing uncertainty, displacement, and disruptions to their education, making them vulnerable to post-traumatic stress, hypervigilance, social withdrawal, and even substance abuse. This book delves deeply into these challenges, providing a comprehensive roadmap for educators, parents, policymakers, and mental health professionals to integrate mental well-being into the education system in a practical and sustainable way.

Through real-life case studies, research-backed strategies, and hands-on interventions, the book explores how schools, families, and communities can work together to create a holistic support system for adolescents. It begins by establishing why mental health should........

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