Festive season blues Help is just a phone call away…….Shreya Bhandary
Mumbai: The city is suddenly witnessing a spate of suicides and care centres are working overtime receiving calls from a host of people.Experts say it could be either the weather,which may deepen the gloom in people who are already depressed,orparadoxicallythe season of cheer,as it may reinforce loneliness in those who are alone in the festive season.
We received several calls from people who live alone in the city, said Malini Shah,senior counsellor with Aasthachrysalis helpline.
Psychologists have also confirmed that more people are coming to them for therapy,especially as the temperature dips.Dull weather tends to worsen the situation for those who are already facing emotional problems, added Shah,whose helpline has received many calls this month,especially in the past week.
On Wednesday afternoon,helpline Aasra organized a get-together for survivors at a book store in the city.The aim was to educate people on how to prevent suicide and what one can do for a family that has witnessed a suicide.The aim is to get over the grief by mourning it and not by ignoring it.Often,survivors feel abandoned and grief because of the stigma attached to the word.This will only worsen the situation for people who are already suffering from depression, said Johnson Thomas from the helpline.
Also present at the session were people from various fields who have successfully battled depression.Research proves that one suicide not only affects the close family members but also others who hear of such news.Often,suicide victims try to reach out to some people before they take the drastic step.One should be aware of such signals, added Thomas.
Mind Temple helpline,run by psychologist Anjali Chhabria,deals with people who are facing emotional issues,and of late,they have noticed a surge in their patients.Emotions often go haywire in people who stay in other cities for work and are not able to spend time with their families during festivals.This has led many to seek medical help to fight depression and loneliness, said a counselor from the helpline.
WERE LISTENING
* Samaritans: 32473267
* Aasra: 27546667
* Mind Temple: 26289792/ 26288928
* Aasthachrysalis: 9870496238
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