My Mother-in-law died with severe mental disorder due to excessive influence of fraudulent godmen and goddesses. They also harmed families and society as a whole by deepening superstition and discouraging scientific and rational approaches to mental health treatment. These exploitative practices can deepen suffering for individuals and families, especially when mental health issues are involved. This is a critical intersection of cultural, social, and systemic failures in South Asia. There are rackets targeting men and women with fake miracles and creating dependency through fear tactics. This isn’t just individual harm—it’s a broader societal issue that perpetuates superstition over evidence-based treatment.
Fraudulent godmen and self-proclaimed goddesses exploit social stigma, cultural beliefs, and gaps in mental health services across South Asia. Victims, often from uneducated or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, are lured into spiritual “healing” that discourages scientific treatment. This not only worsens psychological disorders but also exposes families to financial exploitation, emotional trauma, and sometimes physical or sexual abuse.
The tragic death of individuals suffering from untreated mental disorders, such as the case of many Nepali women who fell victim to manipulative faith practices, highlights the urgent need for systemic intervention.
Many mental health patients in India and Nepal turn to faith instead of medicine due to social stigma, cultural factors, and lack of awareness, leaving them vulnerable to such exploitation. Emotional manipulation, including fear and dependency, exacerbates psychological morbidity, sometimes triggering or worsening existing mental disorders, as seen in various reports from Nepal. Many patients and their families turn to spiritual leaders, godmen, or religious healers, believing in supernatural or divine intervention rather than medical treatment. This faith-based approach is often more culturally acceptable and socially endorsed in many communities. Some people fear the implications of a mental health diagnosis, worrying about discrimination or loss of social standing.
Mental health services, including professional therapy and specialized neurological care, are limited in availability or expensive, especially in rural or economically disadvantaged areas.In India, there is only one psychiatrist for every 400,000 people, one of the lowest ratios in the world . This massive shortage means that for many, a faith healer is the only "practitioner" they can access.
Innocent victims specially from uneducated backgrounds also suffered emotional abuse, as well as physical and sexual abuse in some cases in Nepal. The issue of fraudulent godmen and goddesses thriving on deception and superstition is well recognized, and many believe they should be legally accountable and punished however the regulation addressing such care is poor in Nepal.
This tragic reality highlights the need for greater public awareness, mental health education, and stringent regulation of spiritual leaders to protect people from harmful influences disguised as divine guidance.
Anyone involved in fraud, including a fraudulent godman, faces substantial jail time and financial penalties under Indian and Nepalese laws, and cases involving harm to the public or large-scale deception attract even harsher punishments. The National Penal (Code) Act, 2017, covers general fraud under sections dealing with deception and cheating. Penalties include imprisonment up to 3-10 years and fines up to NPR 100,000, depending on the severity (e.g., for forgery or identity-related scams that could apply to fake healers). Compensation for victims is also mandated. However, specific regulations for fraudulent godmen are weak, and cases like those involving emotional or physical abuse in the name of “healing” often fall under broader penal codes rather than targeted laws.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat have passed laws to prevent and eradicate inhuman practices, black magic, and human sacrifice . These laws criminalize specific exploitative practices carried out in the name of faith. Furthermore, general laws against fraud, sexual assault, and murder are used to prosecute godmen, as seen in the high-profile convictions of figures like Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Asaram Bapu .
Efforts to destigmatize mental illness, educate the public, improve access to care, and integrate faith and science-based approaches are ongoing challenges needed to address this gap effectively.
New AI tools are available to assist affected families . AI technology in 2025 aids families and affected individuals by making mental health resources more accessible, reducing stigma, improving provider workflows, and offering scalable emotional support that complements traditional care models with scientific rigor and potential integration of faith considerations. Deploy AI-driven mental health tools (chatbots, local-language apps) to provide emotional support. Use AI for early detection of high-risk cases through digital consultations. Build secure data platforms to protect privacy while improving access.
As of 2025, AI is indeed stepping in to bridge mental health access issues in South Asia, offering scalable, stigma-free support that can complement or even integrate cultural elements like faith-based coping. These tools aren’t replacements for professional care but help in early intervention and education, especially in rural areas where services are scarce.
Tools like Therabot, a generative AI chatbot designed for mental health, provide empathetic conversations in local languages, helping users process emotions or detect risks like depression. In South Asia, similar platforms are gaining traction—users in India and Pakistan report turning to ChatGPT-like AIs for therapy when traditional options feel inaccessible due to cost or judgment. Southeast Asia’s AI startups (relevant for broader regional insights) use machine learning for early diagnosis and monitoring, reducing barriers like stigma.
AI platforms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like those in South Asia focus on secure data handling for privacy, personalized tracking, and integrating with teleconsultations. For example, generative AI avatars offer dynamic support, blending scientific techniques with user preferences (e.g., incorporating mindfulness that aligns with cultural beliefs). Studies show high adoption potential, with physicians in the region seeing value in AI for workflows and patient outreach.
To deploy these effectively, as you mentioned: Start with local-language apps for emotional support, use AI for risk detection via chat or voice analysis, and build privacy-focused platforms. Governments and NGOs could subsidize them to reach disadvantaged areas, potentially countering superstition by providing rational, evidence-based alternatives.
Artificial intelligence holds potential in mental healthcare, but it must be implemented with great caution, especially in this context. AI is being actively researched for its ability to analyze data (like speech patterns and social media use) to detect early signs of mental health crises . AI-powered tools could theoretically provide scalable, low-cost support and information, potentially reaching underserved populations. It is critical to understand that no AI chatbot has been FDA-approved to diagnose, treat, or cure a mental health disorder. A recent Stanford study revealed that therapy chatbots not only lack effectiveness compared to human therapists but can also introduce harmful biases, stigmatize certain conditions, and dangerously enable suicidal ideation. The American Psychological Association emphasizes that for AI to be safe, it must be grounded in psychological science, developed in collaboration with clinicians, and rigorously tested. Entertainment chatbots posing as therapists are a dangerous trend, and strong regulation is needed AI should be seen as a potential supplement to, not a replacement for, professional human care.
Fraudulent godmen and goddesses are not merely a cultural issue — they represent a public health, legal, and human rights crisis. Protecting citizens from exploitation requires a three-pronged approach: enforcing the law, expanding mental health care, and reshaping cultural attitudes.
Nepal and India have the opportunity to lead South Asia in dismantling harmful superstition, safeguarding vulnerable families, and ensuring that no one suffers or dies for lack of access to compassionate, science-based mental health care.
Many patients and families are reluctant to seek scientific mental health care due to social stigma (fear of discrimination or loss of social standing), or a cultural conviction that mental disorders are due to supernatural or divine intervention and require spiritual, not medical, remedies.
Limited availability or high cost of professional mental health services, especially in rural or economically disadvantaged areas, pushes vulnerable people toward accessible, culturally accepted, but often harmful, faith-based practices.
With coordinated action, no one should die or suffer due to superstition, fear, or lack of access to science-based mental health treatment.