Having to go through mental illness, or knowing someone from your friends or family is never an easy life. With mental illness comes social stigma of seeking help openly or voicing concerns with people who may not entirely understand the severity of the situation. Therefore, support groups step in to offer that helping shoulder for patients and their families to meet up and discuss their woes, worries or just listen to each other, a holistic way of healing even. If you’re looking to join one of these, check out these support groups for a safe and non-judgmental space.
Need Some Help? Three Support Groups In Mumbai To Call During Dark Times
Ten-Second Takeaway
Aasra
Aasra based out of Navi Mumbai is a crisis intervention centre that has been set in place to help people deal with suicide. It works in the space of mental health and aims to offer help to anyone who maybe in distress, suffering quietly or is looking to seek help for themselves but have nowhere to go or anyone to talk to. Their helplines are 24*7, and they are extremely active and prompt on their emails as well in case that’s how someone wants to get in touch with them.
For anyone who is having suicidal thoughts, or knows someone who has committed suicide {friends or family} or anyone someone from any mental illness/distress can contact them to join in their support groups that will help them get through it all.
Find more info here.
Contact: Johnson Thomas on 9820466726
Maitri
Maitri is another Mumbai-based group for mentally ill patients and their families who are seeking support in times of utter despair. At work for over a decade and a half, Maitri helps patients who live with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and organises mainly weekend meetings.
Contact: 022 26838895 {4pm to 8pm}
Nityanand Clinic
With Dr Harish Shetty, psychiatrist in-charge at the clinic that runs of Andheri East focuses on dealing with patients who suffer from any sort of mental illness. The idea is to give them an open, no-judgemental space apart from the regular medical treatment that is required. Therefore, second or fourth Sunday of every month, patients, their families or even their friends meet up to discuss at length about their own suffering, their path to recovery or just lend a listening ear to others.
Contact: 022 26840720, 9819597109
Dilaasa
Dilaasa is another support group that has been organised especially for the family members of schizophrenics, or any other mental illness one of the family members is going through. Often the patients join support group to have a strong support system as they can relate to other patients. However, Dilaasa is mainly for the family members who have their own path when dealing with such illness of their family member.
This gives them an outlet and a safe space to discuss their own concerns, tips or just how they’re doing. Dilaasa, organises regular meetings {mainly over the weekend} at the Masina Hospital in Byculla.
Contact: Dilaasa on 9820198220