Prayagraj: State govt will introduce weekly psychological counselling sessions at district jails in Prayagraj, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh soon to address mental health concerns among inmates.The facility is already available in Naini Central Jail.The initiative is expected to benefit around 3,500 inmates across the jails of Prayagraj division.Trained psychologists are being appointed to provide counselling to inmates who often face depression, stress, anxiety and loneliness after spending long periods away from their families and society. Counsellors will conduct two-hour sessions every week, listen to inmates’ concerns and help them develop ways to cope with emotional and psychological difficulties.Senior superintendent, Naini Central Jail, Vijay Vikram Singh, said such sessions are already conducted for inmates of the central jail and have shown promising results.He said several inmates aged above 60 were found to be struggling with depression, anxiety and emotional distress and have now shown improvement.Likewise, at Pratapgarh jail, there are around 150 inmates who are aged between 50 and 60 years. Counselling sessions are expected to begin in the third week of this month. At Kaushambi jail too, the counselling will start next month.Psychiatrist at Colvin Hospital Rakesh Paswan said depression was one of the most common mental health problems among inmates and timely counselling could help reduce distress, control suicidal thoughts and bring improvement in behaviour.“Prolonged incarceration could have a deep impact on inmates’ mental health. Regular counselling would help them cope with emotional difficulties and improve their overall psychological well-being,” he said.
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