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As stock markets go red, clinic in Bengaluru’s NIMHANS sees surge in number of people traumatised by losses
The crisis has expanded beyond regional borders, with the clinic receiving distress calls from families in Delhi and Mumbai involving losses exceeding Rs 1 crore. Representational image
The digital trading floor is increasingly becoming a landscape of financial ruin and mental health crises for India’s young workforce, as the NIMHANS Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic reports a surge in stock market addiction. Medical professionals at the Bengaluru-based facility have observed a worrying trend where young professionals, primarily from the IT sector, are losing amounts ranging from Rs 80 lakh to over Rs 1 crore. These individuals often enter the market seeking “easy money” but quickly spiral into a cycle of pathological gambling, driven by the volatile nature of intraday as well as futures and options (F&O) trading.
In a recent assessment of a 29-year-old software engineer, clinical experts found that what began as an hour of daily market monitoring evolved into a full-scale behavioural dependence. Influenced by social media and peer success stories, the individual eventually accrued Rs 80 lakh in debt after turning to digital loan apps to cover his mounting F&O losses. “Trading often provides quick rewards—where a person invests a certain amount and may see small profits within an hour or a day,” Dr Rajesh of the SHUT clinic explained, noting that this rapid feedback loop “activates the reward circuit and creates the belief that earning money is easy”.
The data surrounding these financial behaviours is increasingly grim, with Dr Rajesh highlighting that 93% to 97% of retail participants incur losses in the F&O segment according to SEBI reports. Despite these odds, the psychological grip of the market remains strong, as the clinic has seen 20 new cases in the last two months alone. Patients report that the habit begins to override basic biological functions, with many suffering from severe insomnia and irritability. “He reported that whenever he tried to stop, he felt preoccupied, restless, irritable, and unhappy,” Dr Rajesh stated, adding that patients often feel “good” only when they are actively watching the market movements.
The crisis has expanded beyond regional borders, with the clinic receiving distress calls from families in Delhi and Mumbai involving losses exceeding Rs 1 crore. In one instance, a student in Delhi abandoned his education entirely, trapped by a debt of nearly one crore amassed through multiple digital lending platforms. These cases highlight a shift in mindset where individuals begin to view their professional salary as a secondary, slower gain compared to the high-stakes adrenaline of the trading app, leading many to idolise the 3% of traders who actually turn a profit.
To combat this “hidden pandemic”, the SHUT clinic has implemented specialised behavioural interventions and multimodal therapy. These treatments focus on psychoeducation to help patients understand how their cognitive processes and dysfunctional behaviours interact to create pathology. As the accessibility of smartphones makes trading available 24/7, experts warn that without immediate intervention and a shift in how digital trading is marketed to retail investors, the number of young lives derailed by financial addiction will only continue to climb.
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February 10, 2026, 17:25 IST
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