The Jharkhand Government has released the numbers of 14 psychiatrists, psychologists, social psychiatrists and counsellors from different districts to help people suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, etc due to the prevailing Covid crisis. Any person can call on these numbers for consultation related to mental health from 10 am to 2 pm.
The Jharkhand Government released the number on Saturday and since then several people have made calls for consultation with doctors and psychologists to solve their problems. Manish Kumar, a psychiatrist from Ranchi said that on the first day, he received calls from 29 people. Majority of the people were concerned about Covid infection. Many people were worried about their children. There have also been complaints of changes in their behaviour while staying at homes continuously.
Some children are scared. To avoid this, they have been advised not to watch horror movies. Manish Kumar says that people have to be mentally healthy to avoid Covid. If people are struck by anxiety, fear or depression, then their problems may increase. To avoid this, people should always be happy and keep doing physical activity regularly. It is also necessary to do yoga, exercise etc. regularly.
The psychiatrists and psychologists who can be called and consulted are 1. Deepak Giri, East Singhbhum: 9334238982, 2. Dr. Ashish Kumar, Palamu: 7903888700,3. Dr. Prashant, Bokaro: 7004014662, 4. Dr. Roopa Ghosh, Hazaribagh: 8987479002, 5. Dr. Shahnabaz, Dumka: 8051223554, 6. Dr. Smita Hembram, Jamshedpur: 9608758714, 7. Dr. Sunil Shahdeo, Palamu: 9472746226, 8. Siddhant Ohdar, Palamu: 8084494419, 9. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Dumka: 9431580576, 10. Neelkusum Lakda, Gumla: 8789399280, 11. Manish Kumar, Ranchi 8210180394, 12. Dr. Shantana Kumari: 8757679789, 13. Moh Shamon, Palamu: 8757288656, 14. Tetra Kumar, Khunti : 763101358.
Sources said that the Jharkhand government decided to issue number of psychiatrists and psychologists as last year during corona pandemic several people committed suicide or fell into depression.
Sources said that last year during the pandemic, the number of suicide cases had gone up enormously with a data of 1010 cases during a period of merely six months, which comes to five people killing themselves every day. Psychologists and psychiatrists attribute such an alarming rise in suicides by younger people to distress triggered by the unplanned and sudden nationwide lockdown. Large number of people, particularly the youth were experiencing acute mental health related issues during lockdown.