Goa helpline sees 38,516 calls since 2023, 72.9% callers aged 18-45
Diana Fernandes
Thirty-year-old Paul’s (name changed) father was hospitalised due to a chronic illness, while Paul was personally dealing with relationship stress. He would often complain of sleep disturbances and have active suicidal thoughts. Feelings of fearfulness and thoughts that he was a burden to his family were also things he would struggle with.
Amidst the thoughts and worries, Paul reached out for help and dialled the 14416 helpline to access the Tele-MANAS service, where a counsellor and mental health professional spoke to him and, over time, shared tips and techniques on how to handle such stressors.
Even though suicidal thoughts continued to haunt him, supportive therapy, safety planning intervention techniques, cognitive restructuring and psychoeducation helped him. Following a referral to the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) and active follow-up, he has begun to feel better and no longer has suicidal thoughts.
In another case, the helpline received a call from a mother regarding her seven-year-old son following the death of his father. The child was low in mood and experienced suicidal thoughts, which caused him to become depressed and unable to communicate with his mother. After a long conversation and understanding of the case history, it was noted that the child was dealing with grief.
He was referred to the DMHP along with tele-therapy, grief management and behaviour therapy, combined with home plans that his mother could provide. The child has begun to show improvement and is now going to school regularly. A 34-year-old had called in with multiple addictions, anxiety and poor work-life balance. After a detailed assessment by a counsellor and mental health professionals, it emerged that the caller was using substances to cope with other life stressors and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Over the course of several months of treatment, the patient engaged in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), lifestyle modification, exposure therapy and supportive counselling and is steadily improving, having today completed three months of sobriety.
An elderly person aged 75 called complaining of loneliness and sadness and shared issues the caller was having adjusting to family members. It emerged that the caller’s children were not taking care of the person and were verbally abusive on a daily basis. The Tele-MANAS team provided emotional support, supportive therapy, lifestyle modifications, stress management and grounding techniques to the caller. The patient is now actively following up at the OPD level for in-person and teleconsultation sessions, which have greatly improved the person’s condition.
These are just some of the cases that the Tele-MANAS service has been dealing with since its launch on May 15, 2023. It is a programme aimed at making mental healthcare more accessible, affordable and confidential.
“For Goa, one of the most important goals has been to bring mental health support closer to people and create an easy first point of contact for anyone experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, stress, suicidal thoughts or other mental health concerns,” said senior consultant psychiatrist at State Tele-MANAS Goa Dr Sneha Pokle.
Since the start of the programme, Tele-MANAS Goa has received 38,516 calls, averaging around 75-85 calls every day. The nature and categories of calls range from sadness and stress related to exams, work or relationships to anxiety, sleep disturbances, symptoms of losing touch with reality, substance abuse and suicidal ideas or attempts. The latter accounts for around 2.76 per cent of their calls.
The biggest group currently catered to by the service, around 72.9 per cent, falls in the 18-45-year category, pointing to youth and working adults. Their reliance on the helpline has shown that they find it an easy first point of contact for stress, anxiety and other concerns without stigma.
Ideally, trained staff at Tele-MANAS Goa interact with a new caller for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, allowing sufficient time to understand their concern, establish rapport and develop a care plan. Routine follow-up calls are also made depending on the caller’s needs. These can last a minimum of 30 minutes, with the team handling 20-25 follow-up calls in a day.
“One of the biggest lessons we’ve learnt is that people often need someone to listen to them before they are ready to seek formal treatment. A telephone conversation can therefore become the first and very important step towards recovery and dealing with stigma,” said Dr Pokle.
She said that they have also learnt that continuity of care is extremely important. “A single counselling session may provide immediate relief, but scheduled follow-ups, coordination with other services and monitoring of high-risk individuals can make a much greater difference,” said Dr Pokle.
Another important lesson Tele-MANAS has learnt is that every caller requires an individualised approach combined with empathy, patience, risk assessment and a holistic understanding of the caller.
Since its inception, Tele-MANAS has also conducted 400 to 450 mental health awareness and community outreach sessions across the state, focusing on mental health awareness, stigma reduction, early help-seeking, emotional well-being and awareness of available help.
On the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on September 10, the Tele-MANAS team’s message is: “When your brain tells you there is no hope, remember that it is a feeling and not a fact. The fact is hope exists and help is only a call away.”
The 24-hour service can be availed through the toll-free numbers 14416 or 1800-891-4416.
Signs that your brain might have stress from within
• Memory issues
• Poor decision making
• Emotional instability
• Sleep disturbances
• Physical symptoms
Tele Manas key goals
• Provide 24×7, free and confidential mental health support
• Improve early identification and intervention for mental health concerns
• Reduce stigma and encourage people to seek help early
• Provide psychological first aid, counselling and appropriate therapeutic interventions
• Identify and manage high-risk and suicidal cases
• Ensure continuity of care through follow-up calls
• Link callers with District Mental Health Programme and psychiatric services whenever required
Best practises
• Minimum 30-minute counselling for new patients for trust and rapport building
• High-risk cases discussed every day in a group discussion
• Timely follow-up calls
• Collaborations with different departments to helpcreate more mental health awareness at community level
• Caller feedbacks are noted
