Bengaluru: More than 39,000 suicide-related distress calls have been made to India's national mental health helpline, Tele-Manas, since it began three years ago -- highlighting the scale of the crisis as well as growing trust in accessible mental health services.Of the 25 lakh calls received since its launch on Oct 10, 2022, about 16.5 lakh were fully assessed. The analysis -- compiled till Oct 31, 2025 -- shows that 19,955 individuals sought help for suicidal distress, while 5,890 were identified as acute emergency cases with imminent suicide risk. Nearly 7,700 calls were escalated to mental health professionals for advanced counselling and intervention. According to the report, 77% of suicide-related calls were made by distressed individuals, 7.6% by caregivers, and 0.7% by healthcare workers or ASHAs assisting others in crisis.Tele-Manas, a central govt initiative under the National Mental Health Programme, provides 24x7 tele-mental health services to ensure accessible and affordable care across India. The data shows that Karnataka handled over 1 lakh calls, including around 2,700 linked to suicidal thoughts or self-harm -- about 2.6% of its total call volume.Speaking at a panel discussion titled 'Suicidality - A Concern for All' during the two-day national mental health meet Manotsava on Sunday, Dr Naveen Kumar, professor of psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, and Tele-Manas Apex Coordinating Centre head, said Karnataka ranks among the top-performing states in Category 1B for both total and suicide-related calls, reflecting public engagement with the helpline. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest volumes nationally.Most callers were between 18 and 45 years of age (73%), with 55% being male and 43% female. Nearly one in 10 reached out multiple times, with some contacting the helpline five or more times -- a sign of ongoing care and trust in the system. On average, counsellors spent 11.8 minutes on suicide-related calls, extending to over 14 minutes for high-risk situations."The platform's quick response, escalation process, and consistent follow-ups have helped prevent several crises," said Dr Kumar. "Counsellors have been instrumental in saving lives, we have recorded many success stories."Fellow panellist Dr Kavita Arora, co-founder of Children First India, noted a rise in young callers exposed to suicide-related content online. "We must ensure age-appropriate platforms for discussion and reach the right audiences," she said.Arjun Kapoor, programme director at the Centre for Mental Health Law, said suicide prevention must extend beyond clinical care. "Nearly half the cases are linked to life problems -- debt, discrimination, isolation. It's a shared responsibility of families, communities, and govts to fix systems that fail people," he said.