Express News Service
SRINAGAR: The first Suicide Prevention Helpline named ‘Zindagi’ to stop suicides has began functioning in Kashmir, the place psychological well being points have elevated as a result of three decades-long battle and two years of Covid-19 pandemic.
The Helpline No (18002701008) is the initiative of Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences – Kashmir, GMC Srinagar and NGO SRO Kashmir. The helpline began its operations from May 19 and works every day from 6 pm to 11 pm. These hours, in line with psychologists, is probably the most susceptible interval for self-harm ideas amongst these dealing with excessive psychological stress as they really feel lonely through the time.
The helpline named Zindagi (to avoid wasting lives) gives suicide prevention counseling, first help, psychological assist, misery administration, psychological well-being, promotes constructive behaviour, and psychological disaster administration.
Dr Zoya Mir, Clinical Psychologist at IMHANS instructed this newspaper that suicides are 100 per cent preventable and “we have to tab on the survival instinct of a person”.
She mentioned they had been planning for months to launch this suicide prevention helpline and all of the scientific psychologists and psychiatrists concerned within the Helpline have been skilled in programs of suicide prevention from consultants in Mumbai.
At current, the Helpline is backed by a group of 14 psychiatrists and scientific psychologists. There is not any language barrier, the helpline entertains calls in English, Urdu and Kashmiri.
“The clinical psychologists and psychiatrists have been trained how to respond on the first stage and how to handle people who have suicidal tendencies,” Zoya mentioned. She mentioned they’re receiving nearly 10-15 calls per day.
“We have named the helpline ‘Zindagi’ because our focus is to save people’s lives. We are providing immediate intervention to the patients and also guide them that as a follow-up they should visit the nearest psychiatric centre or Psychologist at their nearest place for the treatment,” she mentioned.
In the approaching days, Zoya mentioned, they’re planning to make the Helpline 24×7. They are additionally making a provision to evacuate the individual having extreme suicidal ideas to hospital.
Chairman of NGO SRO Kashmir Mohammad Aafaq Sayeed mentioned they’re offering technical assist to the helpline apart from the skilled volunteers. He mentioned the Helpline will guarantee whole secrecy concerning affected person’s id.
“The psychologists, who are part of this Helpline, don’t have access to caller-ID. Our data is totally secure. Only the HOD concerned and admin has access to the call record,” he mentioned. Aafaq mentioned for availing the Helpline companies, the individual having suicidal ideas ought to himself name the Helpline. “If anybody else on his behalf calls the Helpline, it will not be taken into consideration”.
“We cannot go there but we help them on that point only by providing them interventions needed to overcome their suicidal thoughts,” he mentioned.
