Local hospital starts helpline for board examinees to deal with stress

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 19

With school and competitive exams just at hand, students and their parents obviously are under mental stress. Sometimes it may have a harmful effect on health. To help students and their parents deal with the mental stress, a leading hospital of the city has started a helpline to cater to queries related with mental stress related to exams.

Dr Samir Parikh, director, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences of the institute said, “Stress takes a toll on students and their families alike. Many children fall sick, have anxiety attacks, are unable to sleep and suffer from a low morale due to parental pressure and peer influences.”

He said some refuse to sit for exams on the day as they felt unprepared while others were misled to follow potentially harmful stress-busting techniques such as substance abuse.

A team of the hospital was available at helpline No. 8376804102 to help students or parents from 9 am to 5 pm with queries related to stress, mental well-being, exam tips or even consult experts and behavioral psychologists, he added.

He said a counsellor would be available seven days a week for guiding students and their parents, providing crisis intervention and answer anybody, who was struggling to cope with exam-related concerns and needs urgent assistance.

“It is important that students make a schedule or a regular study plan and stick to it. It should include sleeping to ensure proper rest,” he added. He said, “It is important to stay away from distractions and have a quiet place to study, away from phone, laptop, chat groups or any social media games or platforms.”