After spending a decade in the United States, a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) has returned home and shared a stark comparison between the healthcare systems of the two countries, saying access to Indian doctors and treatment “literally and figuratively” cured him.
The account, shared in a Reddit post that has since gone viral, reflects on the NRI’s years in the US, where he worked as a staff data scientist, and the health struggles that emerged during that time.
“India cured me. Literally and figuratively. I spent 10 years in America. It was great for my education and career, but I missed home and my family,” the user wrote.
‘Healthcare treated me like a transaction’
The NRI said his health issues began around 2017, when he started seeking treatment in the US. What followed, according to him, was a long and confusing medical journey shaped by jargon-heavy diagnoses and an expensive system that made him question whether patient care was the priority.
“The US healthcare system uses a lot of scary-sounding terms that make anxiety issues feel far more complex and threatening than they are,” he wrote, adding that he felt patients were often treated as “money-making machines”.
In 2018, he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in the US. Despite continuing to work and advance professionally, he began doubting the diagnosis.
“If I really had schizophrenia, there’s no way I could have completed my degree or handled a demanding job,” he noted, explaining that people with the condition often experience severe hallucinations and delusions.
Second opinion in India brought clarity
Seeking clarity, the NRI consulted doctors at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru after returning to India. According to him, psychiatrists there found that the schizoaffective disorder had been in remission for some time.
“What I am diagnosed with now is a mood disorder with occasional anxiety,” he said, adding that the reassessment brought both medical and emotional relief.
The NRI moved back to India last year and said that nothing about his condition dramatically changed — except the healthcare system around him.
“Just access to doctors who care, who listen, and who don’t see me as a billing opportunity — that made the difference,” he wrote.
Online reaction echoes similar experiences
The post struck a chord online, with many users sharing similar stories about the high cost and complexity of healthcare in countries like the US, New Zealand and Australia.
One user wrote, “India genuinely has some of the best healthcare in the world. I praise it everywhere.” Another shared that doctors abroad had linked lifestyle changes to long-term gut and mental health issues.
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Others pointed to financial strain. A couple who lived in the US for 17 years said healthcare costs played a major role in their decision to return to India. In an Instagram post, they claimed they were paying thousands of dollars in premiums and deductibles, even before including their children.
“With no support system and constantly rising costs, healthcare became slow, stressful and unaffordable,” the couple said, adding that India offered both accessibility and peace of mind.
