Started in 1969, the group has been actively involved in treating patients with extra ordinary mental illnesses. On the first Saturday of every month, the group meets at their Lalbaug office where victims of OCD come together to share stories.
The sessions are free. The group is run under the guidance of Dr Freny Mahendra, the counsellor who monitors the sessions and Dr Faben Alemida, who listens to each patient. There are three stages of treating OCD. First is medication, second is counseling, given both to the patient and their families to deal with the anxiety, and the third is the group session, says Dr Mahendra.
Since awareness regarding the disorder is poor, plenty of myths stay afloat. For the past 40 years that we have run this group, we have seen patients from all walks of life. Hardly anyone knows about OCD in our country. People also confuse OCD with other kinds of mental illnesses, Mahendra says.
For Deepak Narula, a student of engineering, the group therapy by the Samaritans has been a huge help. I would get very panicky and stressed out when exams were near. I would lock myself in a room and study for hours without a break fearing that I will forget everything the moment I stop, says the 20-year-old.
Deepaks parents took him to their family physician who referred them to the Samaritans. After two years of treatment, there has been considerable improvement. Not only do I maintain my cool throughout the year, but even during exam time I dont get panicky now, he says.
Almeida believes that while medications help, group therapy is an essential complement. OCD patients usually think they are weirdos, but in a group session they come to know of other people suffering from the same disorder and are more willing to accept their condition and actively work towards curing it, says Almeida.
While OCD is not entirely curable, group sessions along with medicines help patients and more importantly those around them to deal with the situation. Family and friends become more tolerant and understand how to handle OCD patients better, says Mahendra.
Their mission a success, Almeida and Mahendra want to take the success of their group therapy further with a residential rehabilitation facility for people with OCD and other mental disorders.