July 22, 2023 07:54 pm | Up to date July 23, 2023 12:34 pm IST – NEW DELHI
A basic feeling of unhappiness, sleep disturbance, stress, and nervousness high the checklist of psychological well being issues that prompted Indians to name the government-run nationwide tele-mental well being programme, Tele MANAS, the digital arm of the District Psychological Well being Programme launched in October 2022. The service, aimed toward strengthening psychological well being service supply within the nation, on Saturday “reached a milestone of getting obtained over 2,00,000 calls from varied elements of the nation for the reason that launch of this toll-free service,’’ the Union Well being Ministry stated.
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The Ministry added that with 42 operational Tele MANAS cells in 31 States and Union Territories, the service is at present catering to over 1,300 calls per day in 20 languages. Over 1,900 counsellors have been educated to run the primary line service.
Moreover, round 7,000 calls have been adopted up with call-backs from counsellors, the place they succeeded in finishing the loop of care. Callers requiring specialist care are linked to acceptable providers and close by healthcare amenities.
“A spurt in calls associated to examination stress was seen in the course of the examination season. These callers have been helped by counsellors with supportive counselling, and self-help methods. Efforts are additionally made to achieve extra college students/adolescents in varied academic institutes,’’ a Ministry official defined.
The official added that two-thirds of the callers fall within the 18-45 years age group. “There are a couple of prank calls additionally,’’ he stated.
“Of the 2 lakh calls, 59.6% have been male callers, and 40% have been feminine callers,” Pratima Murthy, Director, Nationwide Institute of Psychological Well being and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), stated. “Almost 75% of the callers have been between 18-45 years of age; 12.5% of the callers have been within the 46-64 years age group; and eight% have been under 18 years of age.”
Dr. Murthy added that 28.8% calls have been associated to basic emotions of unhappiness; 27.6% of the calls pertained to sleep-related issues; 20.4% calls involved nervousness; 10% of the calls have been about relationship points; 9.2% of the calls pertained to aggression; and 9.7% callers spoke of low curiosity in actions.
The Tele MANAS service is being promoted through totally different media platforms, together with print media, radio, and social media. The service offers help through fundamental counselling and psychological well being providers, and linkages to present important providers and assets. With Tele MANAS obtained two lakh calls in 9 months, the long run purpose is to construct a complete digital psychological well being community throughout India, and reaching the unreached, the Well being Ministry stated.
The initiative, which was introduced by the Well being Ministry within the 2022-23 Union Funds, acknowledges psychological well being points, and is a novel initiative in offering help whereas sustaining the anonymity of the callers, thereby lowering the stigma typically surrounding psychological well being points.
“We wish to make psychological well being providers out there freed from price to each family and each particular person, focusing on probably the most susceptible and unreached sections of society which will in any other case have gone unnoticed,’’ the official stated.
The toll-free helpline numbers — 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 — permits callers to pick the language of their alternative for availing the service.
