Depressed? Call for help

The recent spate of suicides across the city has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to start a helpline for those under stress or in depression.

The recent spate of suicides across the city has prompted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to start a helpline for those under stress or in depression.

HT Image

This was decided after Additional Municipal Commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar met heads of psychiatry departments of civic and private hospitals on Wednesday.

“With the increase in the number of suicides by young students the BMC has decided to take some proactive steps to curb such incidences,” she said.

At least 12 students have committed suicide in Mumbai in the past 10 days. The BMC plans to rope in NGOs and private players to help with the project.

The BMC will also conduct workshops and seminars to sensitise municipal schoolteachers to identify children who might need counselling.

The three major municipal hospitals will prepare a brochure to be circulated to all schools. “The brochure will be aimed at spreading the message that life is beautiful and will also give details on how to identify symptoms of stress and depression,” said a member who attended the meeting.

“These brochures will be like the ones issued during the swine flu wave which listed the dos and don’ts,” Mhaiskar said.
More than 150 school teachers will be trained every Friday to pick clues from a student’s behavior and identify if he needs counselling.