J&K: Online counselling centre named Tele Manas offers help to people facing mental health problems on the phone

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The central government has established an online counselling centre named “Tele Manas” at the only major hospital for mental illness in the Kashmir Valley where mental health counsellors listen to patients’ problems on the phone and offer comfort and advice.

Eighteen women’s councils have been organized at this centre since November last year and they are performing their services 24 hours a day. In such a situation, “Tele Manas” is receiving 80 to 100 calls daily and most of them are from female patients who are dealing with various mental problems. The patients do not have to reveal their identity during the counselling process.

This digital hub for mental health works on a three-tier system which includes counsellors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists.

Bisma, a counsellor at Tele Manas said, “More phone calls are received from women aged between 30 and 40 who are going through various mental conditions. Apart from anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses, women who are driven by suicidal thoughts or have tried to commit suicide also call seeking help.

Meanwhile, suicide incidents in Jammu and Kashmir UT have been increasing at an alarming rate.

“Due to the increasing trend of suicide, we are hearing the news that at such and such a place, such and such a young man or woman ended his life by putting a noose around his neck or by eating poison or such and such a person killed himself by jumping into the river”, one of the counsellors said.

According to Crime Gazette 2021, about 600 people attempted suicide in Jammu and Kashmir and this number is higher than the 2020 figures. Experts say the actual number could be much higher. Due to social fear and stigma, most cases of suicide go unreported.

A patient can call this mental health counselling centre from any part of Jammu and Kashmir. Video conferencing facilities will also be made available soon here in the coming time so that those mental patients who fear stigma in society or for any other reason if they are not able to visit the hospital in person can also get treated.

Coordinator of the centre Dr Hina said, “The establishment of the centre has greatly benefited the patients suffering from mental diseases and more than 7000 calls have been received during the last 5 months, from which it can be estimated that to what extent mental disorders are increasing in Kashmir.”

This digital mental health counselling centre of the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences has managed to make its place among the top three centres in the country.

It should be noted that according to a report from the World Health Organization, every 40 seconds, somewhere in the world, a person dies by suicide. One of the main reasons is such mental problems.

There are many types of mental illnesses, among which depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality, and PTSD are common and can be treated with medication and therapy. Since the awareness of mental illness is not proper in society and also lack of familiarity with psychology and other new sciences has resulted in people posing a negative attitude towards people suffering from psychological problems. (ANI)