Sunday, 29 June 2014

Willingness to seek help

An Engineer commits suicide after pressure to clear MGNREGA files near Mysore.

A girl studying in class 7 commits suicide in Odisha because her poor parents could not afford to pay for her notebook and pencil.

A 55 year old sales tax official in Nashik commits suicide – reason unknown.

…These are a few who made their presence felt in the news of this month, be it social media, print or TV… Many more suicides have been recorded in the police files…
Perhaps some have got unreported by the family due to ‘social stigma’ and ‘law’. Such suicides have been labeled as ‘natural death’.  

We could not save them…
Clearly, they have no access or awareness about any helpline…  

What about those who survived?

A Television anchor attempts suicide by consuming rat poison at NOIDA due to harassment at workplace. She is in hospital surviving after the incident. She even had a facebook post declaring her intention. Was she aware of any helpline…?

Do the people, trying to take that difficult plunge, ever think about a helpline that is only a phone call away?

This is the question every support center, working for the depressed and suicidal, needs to understand. Its one aspect is the publicity. But another, perhaps more significant, is the willingness of the people to seek help. How can we tackle that?

Saturday, 7 June 2014

A new mental health service for those who don't have any access

Mental Health care is a costly affair. Here is something that may fill the gap for the needy who can't afford it:

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A new initiative launched by Saarthak and The Hans Foundation is:
Khushhali Manasik Swasthya Sewa

  - to provide mental health services to those who do not have any access. 
 Its aim is to provide free and accessible mental health services across Delhi NCR.

The team providing the service would include two senior psychiatrists, two senior clinical psychologists, social workers, counselors and volunteers.


Services will address the universal mental health needs:

Skill building workshops on:
  1. Managing Anger
  2. Challenging Negative Thoughts
  3. Parenting
  4. The Success Factor (A life skills program for young people)
  5. Sahas ka Safar (A support group for women coping with psychological impact of Domestic Violence)

Services would also address the needs of those people who live with Major Psychiatric Disorders, Common Mental Disorders and Alcohol Dependence

Phone: Maneesha/ Shakti on 011 8800599204 (Monday to Saturday between to 10 to 5.30pm)


People can also walk in to the service on Fridays between 3 to 6pm at AADI, 2 Balbir Saxena Marg, Hauz Khas, Near green Park Metro Station.

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Only time will tell how this new initiative will make an impact for the mental health care landscape.