Cops,families get expert tips to beat stress

The hospital is also planning to hold group counselling sessions at police stations,particularly for cops on bandobast duty,which often stretches 48 hours.

The move comes in the backdrop of rising stress-related complaints and several cases of suicide by cops.

“A week back,wife of a police officer approached the hospital complaining of stress and severe headache constantly nagging her. Half-an-hour of talk with her revealed that her husband had become an alcoholic and seldom came home. As less attention was paid to their son,he too had become an alcoholic and had even tried to commit suicide a few months back. The entire family needed counselling and treatment,” says a doctor with the Pune city police hospital.

Dr B B Andhare,chief medical officer with the hospital,says,“As per instructions from the Police Commissioner,we started special counselling sessions for cops and their families. Police personnel complain of various ailments like hypertension,piles,varicose veins and respiratory disorders because of lengthy work hours and eating at odd times owing to work pressure. A major chunk of complaints is about insomnia,palpitation and stress,all of which may have psychological roots.”

Dr Andhare says such problems are more common among the middle hierarchy like senior police inspectors.

About 100 to 150 cops and their family members visit the hospital every month for answers to complaints related to stress.

Dr Smruti Ingole,an honorary psychiatrist with the hospital,said,“The conditions in which police work are inhuman. A large number of police personnel come to us with problems due to two-day bandobast duty. Some of them transferred to places outside the city have left their family behind for their children’s education and have turned alcoholic. I believe a dedicated one-on-one counselling will definitely help cops and their family members to handle unavoidable stress better.”

Andhare said,“We will have group counselling sessions at police stations too. Regular talks on stress management will be useful. We are searching for experts.”