Freedom of Speech and Mental Health in India: Why Fear and Silence Affect Us All

Sanwad Counseling
May 21
3 min read

Updated: May 30

The recent controversy around the Chief Justice of India's “cockroach” remarks and the rise of the satirical “Cockroach Janta Party” may appear to be just another internet outrage cycle, but the intensity of public reaction points toward something deeper and concerning.

For most Indian youth, public life increasingly feels emotionally tense. Students, activists, comedians, journalists, queer people, and ordinary social media users are often penalized for stating their disregard with the current state of the country. The fear is not always about legal punishment alone. Sometimes it is about online harassment, social ostracisation, professional consequences, or simply the exhaustion of being attacked for expressing disagreement.

Freedom of Speech is a Mental Health Issue

Mental health research increasingly shows that freedom and psychological well-being are deeply connected. A 2025 review published in Frontiers in Psychology found that freedom of speech, assembly, and protection from discrimination are closely tied to self-esteem, emotional safety, and mental health outcomes. The paper notes that environments where people fear expressing themselves can increase anxiety, helplessness, and emotional distress. [1]

Psychologists describe this process as self-censorship: constantly monitoring your thoughts and behaviour because speaking honestly feels unsafe. [2] People begin editing themselves automatically because they do not feel safe to express their views. They may do this to avoid isolation or outrage. Over time, this can create chronic stress and emotional hypervigilance.

This feels particularly relevant in the Indian context, where hierarchy and obedience are often culturally reinforced from childhood. Many people grow up learning not to question elders, authority figures, institutions, or dominant societal beliefs. Silence is frequently equated with respect. Public disagreement can be framed as arrogance, disloyalty, or "rage baiting".[3]

While community and collectivism are important aspects of Indian culture, they can sometimes also make dissent emotionally difficult. Young people today are navigating a complicated environment where:

social media encourages visibility,
political climates feel increasingly polarised, and
public backlash can happen instantly and aggressively.

Research also suggests that suppressing expression may increase feelings of isolation and anxiety because people lose opportunities to process thoughts openly, receive

feedback, and feel authentically connected to others.

When people feel unsafe expressing themselves, fear slowly becomes part of everyday life.

What Happens to Society When Fear Becomes Normal

An article in The Wire argued that remarks comparing citizens to “cockroaches” weaken democratic culture because they reduce empathy and encourage contempt toward vulnerable groups.[4] Research in political psychology similarly suggests that polarizing politics often depend on creating “others” who are portrayed as inferior, threatening, or undeserving of dignity. This dynamic affects collective mental health because it increases fear, distrust, and emotional fragmentation within society.

Young people are often especially vulnerable to this emotional climate. Many are already coping with unemployment, academic pressure, burnout, social media scrutiny, and uncertainty about the future. Living in environments where criticism feels dangerous or public discourse feels hostile can deepen hopelessness and emotional exhaustion.[6]

Support systems become especially important during these periods because they remind people that fear and uncertainty are easier to carry collectively than alone. Supportive relationships, like-minded peer spaces, community groups, and therapy can help people stay emotionally grounded instead of becoming consumed by helplessness or hopelessness. Research consistently shows that social connection and community belonging act as protective factors during periods of collective stress and instability.[1][5]

This does not mean everyone must agree politically. Healthy societies are not conflict-free. But emotionally healthy societies allow disagreement without humiliation, dehumanisation, or fear. Freedom of speech is not only about legal rights, it is also about feeling psychologically safe enough to think, question, grieve, criticise, and exist honestly in public spaces.

If the current social and political climate has been leaving you emotionally overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected, therapy can offer space to process these

feelings with care and reflection.

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Freedom of Speech and Mental Health in India: Why Fear and Silence Affect Us All

Freedom of Speech is a Mental Health Issue

What Happens to Society When Fear Becomes Normal

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