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Srinagar,
Mar 27: As stress-related disorders are on the rise in Valley,
police is all set to launch a helpline to provide counselling to
patients on ways to overcome their problems.“The Dial 100
facility is being run by the Police Control Room on an
experimental basis at the moment as the counsellors are being
trained by experts. The facility for stress management will be
thrown open to public very soon,” a senior police official said.
Police has roped in several psychologists and psychiatrists
including trauma counsellor Justin Hardy for training the
counsellors, who are currently undergoing a week-long training
programme. Assistance has also been sought from NGO Kashmir Life
Line for providing training to the counsellors who will man the
Dial 100 facility. The police personnel manning the Police
Control rooms have also been put through the training in a bid
to sensitize them about the issue.
“The program has been designed to sensitize the counsellors of
stress management help line, drug de-addiction centre PCR and
the policemen manning the Dial 100, as to how they could deal
with people who call them for help to cope with stress,” SSP
Police Control Room Srinagar, Javed Faroqui said.
The psychologists and other trainers demonstrate techniques to
the trainees on how to converse with a caller who seeks help for
coping with stress.The Valley has seen a number of suicides and
attempts to end life have gone up drastically. “At least two to
three cases of attempt to commit suicide are reported at SMHS
hospital here on daily basis. These are figures from just one
hospital and the situation seems to be alarming,” an official at
Srinagar’s largest government-run hospital said. 100 cases of
suicide were reported during 2010 alone. Psychologists have
attributed the rise in such cases “to the turmoil and strife” in
the Valley over the past two decades.Drug addiction is the other
major stress-related social evil that has taken the Valley in
its grip. More than 4,000 youth have approached the police drug
de-addiction centre, since its inception in March 2008, to kick
the habit.
Out of these 538 were found fit to be admitted in the centre and
so far 244 have been treated. “We still have 292 cases which are
waiting to be admitted as we do not have enough room,” a police
official said. “We are hopeful that we can keep them away from
drugs and intoxicants too as it has become a major problem in
Kashmir,” he added. |
