NEW DELHI: Sleep disturbances, feelings of sadness, and stress have emerged as the primary reasons for individuals seeking help on the National Mental Health tele-helpline since its launch in 2022.Over the past year, the Tele MANAS (Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) helpline has received a staggering 14.5 lakh calls since its launch last year, which highlights the significant demand for mental health support, said a report released on the occasion of World Mental Health Day on Thursday.Notably, the majority of these callers were male, said the report, ‘Taking Charge of Our Mental Health,’ by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), which runs the Tele-Manas helpline.In reviewing the call records on the toll-free helpline number 14416, it was found that 14 per cent of the individuals seeking advice reported experiencing difficulties with sleep, 12 per cent expressed feelings of sadness, 11 per cent mentioned being stressed, and 9 per cent reported anxiety. Less than three per cent of complaints were identified to be suicide-related cases.The volume of calls varied across the country, with Tamil Nadu seeing a traffic of 58414; Chandigarh received only 320 calls. Apart from Tamil Nadu, a maximum number of calls came from Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.The gender profile showed that 56.15 per cent of the callers were male, and 71 per cent were in the 18-45 age group. More women complained about relationship or family conflicts than men.
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