Mending terror-scarred minds

Soon after the terror ended in the city and left its scars behind, city psychiatrists sprung into action taking distress calls and making emergency visits.

Soon after the terror ended in the city and left its scars behind, city psychiatrists sprung into action taking distress calls and making emergency visits. Doctor Yusuf Matchiswalla, head of psychiatric department, Masina Hospital, and visiting psychiatrist at JJ, GT, Saifee and police hospitals, said, 8220;We have activated our 24-hour helpline numbers for distress callers. Now, that the initial acute shock has passed, the post-terror trauma will start sinking in. In the coming days we expect a large number of callers struggling to cope up.8221; Matchiswalla said they are already handling calls from foreigners, youngsters and even parents of disturbed school children.

Dr Ambreen Pradhan, practicing psychologist at Masina, said: 8220;Most of our callers seem to be in the age group of 25-30. They are utterly traumatized, nervous, often in a state of denial.8221;

Pradhan said, the symptom of post-terror trauma are often numbness, great guilt, refusal to make an eye contact, refusal to speak even to loved ones and so on. 8220;It will need a few months of anti-depressants and counseling to cure such cases,8221; she explained.

Over the next few months, Matchiswala and his team from Masina Hospital have organised multiple pick-up ambulances for trauma patients, spot-on sessions at the Taj and Oberoi, special impromptu sessions with people who were on duty when the terror struck and group therapy 8212; all for free. 8220;Starting Monday, we will personally visit the sub-stations of the police and Fire Brigade; hospitals and ambulances; as well as schools, and offer special session for those who witnessed the tragedy from close quarters.8221; On Sunday itself, the team met at least 27 patients, Pradhan said.

Another Pune-base clinical psychologist, who has rushed to the city to help trauma victims, is Dr Meenal Lonkar Kavishwar, probably India8217;s only animal assisted therapist. Kavishwar has a team of 40 volunteers and trained dogs in her clinic Animal Angels Foundation. 8220;We are in discussion with several hospitals, trying to set up a full-time free psychiatric counseling centre. Our work should begin by next week,8221; Kavishwar said.

After the 7/11 train blasts in Mumbai, Kavishwar had set up a similar platform with the Bombay Psychiatric Society, and treated nearly 40 patients with the help of animals.

8220;Animals provide immense comfort iquest; their touch is soothing and helps in instant catharsis. This kind of treatment is very common in other countries,8221; Kavishwar said. Her team includes clinical psychologist, physiotherapists and counselors as well as several volunteers from SNDT College. Her therapy dogs are specially trained.

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Stressing on the importance of psychiatric counseling, Pradhan said, 8220;This attack has been very severe since it went on for over 48 hours, unlike past terror attacks which lasted for just a couple of hours. People have seen gore in the places they frequent and that8217;s going to leave a deep scar. Most watched television non-stop for 2 days, and identified with the places that were attacked. I am anticipating innumerable trauma cases. It is critical to treat them now otherwise the damage could become embedded.8221;