Mind Matters: Manam Foundation Helps People Deal With Mental Stress

Mind Matters: Manam Foundation Helps People Deal With Mental Stress

The pandemic has not only taken a toll on the physical health of people but also impacted their mental wellbeing. The anxiety, fear, panic and desperation related to COVID 19 are real and it is only getting worse as the cases surge. In view of the prevailing situation, Manam Foundation, a non-profit organisation, has started free counseling service ‘Mann Ki Shanti’ to address the mental health issues faced by those affected by COVID 19 as well as the general public in collaboration with the women’s wing of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI- FLO).

Director of Manam Foundation, Anuradha Mahapatra said the initiative was the need of the hour. “Most of the people reaching out to us complained of anxiety, fear, feeling low and panic attacks. There is death and suffering everywhere and it triggers people to such an extent that they need immediate counseling. The smallest of bad news lets loose a whirlpool of emotions which becomes difficult for people to deal with. Hence it was important to help people take care of their mental health and wellness,” she opined.

The Foundation has a team of 12 therapists who are on the job from 10 am to 9 pm every day. Multiple helpline numbers have been circulated to help people reach out to the organisation. Besides, there are certified counselors to provide advice to people in need. Each therapist gets around 6-7 calls per day.

The service was initially launched for people of Odisha but after FICCI FLO tied up with Manam Foundation, it is now available across India. Chief psychological counselor of the Foundation Somya Sucharita Mohapatra said, “People have been affected both mentally and emotionally to a great extent in the pandemic. The reasons vary from person to person. Family members often miss out on the signs of mental health issues and do not give much importance to them. When we talk to these people, they feel heard. We just listen to them without being judgmental and advise them accordingly. The fact that there is someone who listens to their problems, gives them a feeling that they are not alone.”

After an Odia news channel ran posters of the free mental health consultation of the Foundation, calls started pouring in from rural areas and districts like Athagarh, Nayagarh and Mayurbhanj. But this did not sustain for long as when the posters stopped running, the calls stopped. The COVID 19 specific drive began in April 2021 due to the worsening mental health of people.

Somya informed, “The changes that the pandemic has brought with itself have created confusion in people’s minds. We call it ‘Covid Anxiety Disorder’. It is of two types – covid apprehension which is the fear of the virus and post-covid anxiety disorder. An 80-year-old patient, who recovered from COVID 19, reached out to us and complained of having panic attacks. Any covid related news triggered him and filled him with anxiety. Similarly, the mother of a 10-year-old boy reached out to us and informed us that her son had a similar meltdown. The boy locked himself up and urged his parents not to leave the house. He feared that the virus was lurking around him to devour him. The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone.”

The modus operandi of the Foundation is quite professional but there is also a personal touch in the operations so that any individual who connects feels heard and secure. The calls are immediately answered and if any of the therapists is occupied, he/she makes sure that the call is passed on to the other. So no call goes unattended.

“Patient confidentiality is maintained throughout. Counseling does not end with just one session. It needs follow-ups. After attending to one person, it becomes the duty and responsibility of the respective therapist to check regularly if he/she does not revert back for the next session. Each individual needs at least 3 sessions. So the person is taken care of till the therapist feels assured that the matter is resolved. Mostly, people don’t revert back for the recurring sessions but we maintain a directory and check on them. Following the sessions, we teach them certain techniques to pacify themselves like mindfulness, breathing techniques and meditation,” Somya added.

In May 2018, Manam Foundation was set up with a group of women who were journeying through their own struggle with mental health. They joined together and decided to bring a qualitative mental health facility in Odisha. Despite having able mental health professionals, the services and facilities were not structured effectively. So they took it upon themselves to structure the whole system and provide a platform for mental health through counseling and incorporating therapy and related activities.

So far, the team has been successful in easing the suffering of people during the pandemic by giving them respite from their mental ailments.