Hyderabad: Mental health issues among women in Telangana are rising steadily, with stress, anxiety, family conflict, and suicidal ideation driving more women to seek help.
In response, the state government launched a mental health helpline—Tele-MANAS—inside the Erragadda Institute of Mental Health in 2022. The centre receives 150 to 200 calls daily, connecting individuals with professional counsellors.
Since launch, 1,38,023 people have contacted the helpline. Of these, 92,013—or 66%—were women. Notably, 698 women reported suicidal thoughts during calls over the past three years.
More men report suicidal thoughts despite fewer calls
While women make up the majority of callers, men report suicidal ideation more frequently. Of the 1,711 individuals who called expressing suicidal intent:
990 were men
698 were women
23 identified as other
Tele-MANAS counsellors were able to intervene and prevent suicide in each case. Many of the callers later followed up to update the centre on their well-being.
The majority of callers fall in the 18–45 age group.
State expands mental health awareness across colleges and schools
The health department has intensified outreach programmes. Awareness campaigns on coping with psychological stress have been conducted in:
547 colleges
942 schools
These efforts aim to equip students with tools to manage mental health challenges.
