Telangana’s Tele-MANAS Helpline Supports 1.3 Lakh Callers in Need

Swift Summary:

• A 38-year-old unemployed man from Hyderabad suffering from mental distress related to Bell’s palsy found help through the Tele-MANAS Helpline (14416).
• The helpline operates round-the-clock under Telangana’s Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Erragadda, with a team including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, trained counsellors, technical coordinators, and support staff.
• Since it’s launch in october 2022, Tele-MANAS has handled over 1.38 lakh calls addressing various issues such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation.
• Daily call volumes range from 150 to 200; serious cases are referred to local District mental Health programme (DMHP) clinics or government hospitals for follow-up intervention. Services are free and confidential.
• Kamareddy district received the highest number of calls at 19,366; followed by Hyderabad (9,904), Hanamkonda (8,086), Siddipet (7,911), and Vikarabad (7,067).
• Most callers are young adults or unemployed individuals facing sudden medical or financial stress.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

Tele-MANAS is emerging as a vital mental health resource in Telangana since its inception in October 2022. Its accessibility via toll-free number ensures crucial support for underserved communities confronting stigma around mental health conversations. Young adults and economically strained callers dominate usage patterns-highlighting how socioeconomic instability exacerbates psychological issues on a societal scale.The widespread uptake across districts demonstrates both needfulness and effectiveness of this service model tied closely to local health infrastructure like DMHPs or district hospitals for referrals-a noteworthy blend prioritizing urban-rural inclusivity alongside cost-free anonymity i.e empowering/help avenue bridge gaps addressing stigmas-systematic huddle barriers visible

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