Counsellors to handle mental problems

Chennai: Ten months after its launch, counsellors from the 104 health helpline in the state will be given group and individual training after Deepavali on how to deal with the increasing number of calls related to mental health issues.

Counsellors attend to at least 80-90 calls a day. Of the 90, over 10 calls deal with suicidal tendencies.

The GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) plans to have three counsellors train with the Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre, which has been working in the field  for more than 25 years, said B. Prabhudoss, regional manager.

Psychologist B. Ilaiyaraja said that it would help them deal better with people with severe anxiety, alcohol addiction, marital issues and psychosexual problems in adolescents, like masturbation, and confusion over choosing streams in higher education.

A month ago, a middle-aged woman from Madurai called the helpline to say that she was struggling to cope with her husband’s loss. “Her sleep cycle had changed and she suffered from severe depression. We suggested four counselling sessions and called her daily” said Mr Ilaiyaraja. The woman had now joined a private company and was financially independent.

“People with suicidal tendencies need someone to persuade them to seek help,” said clinical psychologist M. Krishnamoorthy, referring to the case of a suicidal man from Ramanathapuram, who could not settle a mounting loan nor take his wife’s harassment. “We also spoke to his wife.”

The helpline receives an equal number of calls from all 32 districts. “104 receives close to 6,000 calls a day, mostly related to general information about local primary health centres, blood banks and so on,” said Mr Prabhudoss.

People from across the districts can call the helpline 104 to seek advice, information, counselling and register complaints.