Sometimes, they just want someone to listen: Inside Hyderabad’s Roshni support helpline
Roshni, an emotional support helpline in Hyderabad, reports a high volume of calls from young adults and men seeking someone to listen to their distress. The organization emphasizes 'befriending' as a core approach to helping individuals cope with mental health, relationship, and financial challenges.
Why it matters
Helplines provide critical, accessible mental health support in a society where professional counseling may be stigmatized or unavailable.
At 8.30 p.m., a call was received in Roshni, an emotional support centre in Hyderabad. The volunteer who answered stayed on the phone for the next two-and-a-half hours, listening as the caller spoke about what they were going through. The conversation ended only around 11 p.m. There was no quick solution to offer. Sometimes, callers simply want to cry, vent or have somebody to listen, representatives of the organisation say.
“Listening is what we are trying to do,” said Ratna, a Roshni representative, recalling the recent call. Volunteers often understand the pain a person is experiencing within the first few sentences, but that does not necessarily mean the conversation ends there. Some callers continue talking or crying as they unburden themselves.
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