Breakups to marital discord: Bengaluru's suicide helplines flooded with relationship woes

Bengaluru's suicide helplines continue to be flooded with calls. Relationship problems, academic pressure, and job-related distress are the top concerns. 

Ahead of September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day, Bengaluru-based helplines talk to Metrolife about their work. 

Arpita Foundation

This helpline has handled over 30,000 calls since 2019. It gets an average of 150-200 calls a month, of which 30-35 are from Bengaluru. “Most callers are 13-35 years old. About 60-70% call about relationship problems, 10% about addictions, and 10-20% about academic stress,” said Patrick Vaz, who supervises the helpline. Concerns range from teenage breakups to marital discord, often tied to unresolved emotional baggage, he added. Staffed by 20-plus volunteers, calls are handled by counsellors who use pseudonyms.  “After immediate intervention, we encourage the caller to call us back by informing them about the same counsellor's next available slot,” Vaz explained.

Call: 080 23655557 (9 am to 9 pm, all days)

Sahai

Sahai, a helpline run by the Medico Pastoral Association, has been active for 22 years. Between July 2024 and June 2025, it received 718 calls. A majority of the callers were 18-29 years of age.

“On average, we receive over 600 calls a year,” said Alphonse Kurian, secretary of the Association. Of last year’s calls, about 50 were from those with suicidal thoughts, 240 called about mental health concerns, 111 about relationship issues, and 45 about job-related stress. A few students called about ragging and bullying too, Kurian noted. 

Financial troubles and huge loans were also cited as suicide triggers. 

He added that callers are encouraged to call back, and about a fourth of them return. “Some have been calling weekly for over five years,” Kurian added.

Call: 080 2549 7777 (Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5.30 pm. Closed on Sundays and public holidays) 

24x7 helpline 

Cadabam’s 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis helpline has handled over 17,000 calls between June and September 2025. Nearly 8,000 of them are suicide-related. Started in 2017, it is run by 10-12 trained mental health professionals. “We receive 4,500-5,000 calls a month. Around 60-70% are suicide-related or distress calls,” said Dr Anitha Bharathan, who manages the helpline. Though callers range from age 13 to 80, most are adolescents and young adults struggling with anxiety, depression, toxic relationships, addiction, and trauma. Counsellors use crisis de-escalation techniques, including deep breathing, and follow up 3-4 times over 10 days after a crisis call, Dr Anitha said.

Call: 97414 76476 (24x7, all days)

Sa-Mudra Yuva Helpline

The helpline, launched in 2008, has been offering free first-response psychological support to students, youth and women. On average, the helpline receives 200-plus calls every month. Callers range from 14- to 60-year-olds, with a majority being students and young professionals. 

It operates with a team of three trained mental health professionals. They also call back callers who reach out after hours, on Sundays, or on public holidays, said Bharathi Singh, CEO and managing trustee of the Sa-Mudra Foundation.

The helpline provides two free calls, after which calls are charged, according to the caller's economical background. "After a high-risk call, our telecallers make it a point to follow up multiple times in the next few days,” added Bharathi. 

Call: 98803 96331 (Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm)

Govt-run 24x7 helpline

The Tele-MANAS helpline, run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, offers free mental health support in over 20 languages.

“Trained counsellors handle calls,” said a representative of the toll-free helpline.

Calls are confidential and not recorded. In addition to immediate intervention, follow-up calls are made by the helpline’s team within a week or two to check on the caller’s wellbeing. “No call goes unanswered, and missed calls are returned,” she added.

Call: 1800 891 4416 (24x7, all days)