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The GenY has no pretensions of super status. They wear their vulnerabilities on their sleeves. Sex, relationships, alcohol, drug abuse and career choices top the list of problems besieging the young. While most of them don’t think before going to a counsellor, the frailer ones wilt and take the extreme step.
It is now the result season. The SSLC results are out and the ICSE and CBSE will soon follow. The CET and PU results are round the corner. So there is as much jubilation in the air as sadness and frustration. Counselling is said to be the most sought after solution for depression among teenagers resulting from failure or bad performance at school.
Experts believe that every school and college must have a 24-hour counsellor attached to the institution. They aver that there are some issues that girls and boys may not want to discuss or even disclose to their parents. In such cases they feel more comfortable with a third person. Most youngsters feel uncomfortable to open up to their parents because they feel they’d shatter their parents’ expectations which might result in them sinking into a slough of despondency.
‘‘The privacy and support a counsellor provides attracts the young to choose this path,’’ observes Arelene Monoharan, coordinator Centre for Child and Law at the NLS. She observes that youth need to feel comfortable enough to open up. They expect to be heard and comforted when in distress. They want someone to banish their fears and doubts.
“It’s sad that most schools don’t take the concept of counsellors on campus very seriously. Counselling offers youth security and a sense of anonymity which is what they are looking for. But there’s this whole stigma attached to counselling which is yet to vanish,” she says.
Dr Vinod Chebbi, a psychotherapist, Director, Medisex Foundation attributes the sudden spurt in counselling centres in the City to the increased availability of qualified personnel.
He thinks that lack of time and understanding on the part of the parents and great expectations from children, drive the young to seek help outside their homes, and counsellors hold the therapeutic promise.
“They explore alternative routes and they often choose counselling. A positive attitude, help and support are what the young in distress need but the opposite happens at home,” observes Chebbi.
Counselling Centres in City
Sahai Suicide Prevention: 25497777 (between 2 pm and 5 pm) and 25477375.
Makkala Sahaya Vani, Commissioner of Police: 2943224 (www.karmayog.org/nonmumbaiprofiles/nonmumprodis.asp)
Parivarthan, Counselling, Taining and Research Centre: 25273462/25298686
Freedom Foundation: 5440134/9766.
Foundation of Sexual Medicine
Education: 080-3101205
Jagruthi: 2860346
Centre for Psychological Counselling - Bangalore Vishwa Vidyalaya: 23211486, 23214001