ALL SMILES Caregivers of MS patients come together to laugh, dance and forget their worries Bar Code Ketan Tanna meets a support group that attempts to bring a little sunshine into the lives of multiple sclerosis patients and their families It’s a sunny Saturday morning. An unwell Kavita Pavaskar finds herself unable to make […]
When the witness is a child
Children go through great trauma when they have to appear in court. Ketan Tanna on what happens when a young rape victim is asked to explain her ordeal in front of others or a little boy has to give evidence against a parent Last year, a 16-year-old girl was raped by her teacher in Mumbai. […]
TORTURED HUSBANDS’ UNION
MEN IN BLACK: Gupta, Gokul and Sheikh are among those who are brought together by the grief caused by women In this column, we portray incredible, desperate and even very sane groups. This week, we present some men who claim to have been emotionally and physically abused by their wives. They gather every Saturday […]
State of the union
The year saw a record number of divorces across cities. Ketan Tanna on the consequences of wealth, empowerment and other demons In blocking traffic, marriages are second only to God. The pomp and scale of marriages in 2006 were probably unmatched in the past. But the year also saw an alarming number of divorce suits […]
The fellowship of troubled teens
Ketan Tanna meets a bunch of youngsters who congregate to share their experiences on broken relationships, homicidal tendencies and more The wind chimes sway gently in the background. In a spacious room in an upmarket building near the Juhu-Andheri link road, nine young persons have come together to form what is the first support group […]
We are closed right now….
Mumbai’s mental health helplines don’t work at night. But, says Ketan Tanna, episodes don’t only occur during office hours A few weeks ago, late in the evening, 15-year-old Rohit doused himself in kerosene. He had been suffering from depression for a while. His parents were in the process of splitting and his grades in […]
Dance of the Melancholy Ladies
The women meet every Monday afternoon near a psychiatrist’s clinic. They have been doing this for the last five years. Asha Anjali, they call themselves. They are survivors of depression, illness and suicide attempts. The goal of the Monday meetings is simple—pursuit of happiness. “This group has given me hope. But more than than, it […]
When thoughts become your enemy
FORCE OF HABIT: Members of the OCD support group look towards a more hopeful future In this column we profile unusual groups. This week, Ketan Tanna meets a group of people who meet to collectively combat a sapping mental disorder All the time I wanted to be clean. My obsession with cleanliness went to […]
Caring for the care-givers
IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH Members of Dilaasa meet every Sunday to share and empathise In this column, we feature unusual groups. This week Ketan Tanna meets a support group for family members of schizophrenics and those suffering from substance abuserelated psychosis Tears roll down the cheeks of the 55-year-old, frail-looking Yas minbi as she […]