Over 500 calls were made to the support helpline 1772 launched a week ago with callers ranging from lonely elderly people and families struggling with spending endless days together, to people battling depression. 

The helpline labelled ‘You are not alone’, was launched to offer support to people who felt alone, isolated, or just in need of sharing emotions with someone else during lockdown days resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the past month, health authorities have been recommending that people stay home, unless they need to go out for work or essential errands. This applies especially to vulnerable groups – elderly people over 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic conditions. As people stay home, sometimes alone, they may experience loneliness and mental health problems.

A Times of Malta survey showed that 46% of the Maltese are concerned with their mental health as a result of the COVID-19 restrictions.

For this reason, the government launched the 24-hour helpline 1772 manned by social professionals from the Foundation for Social Welfare Services with the support of the Institute for Family Therapy.

“The callers included lonely elderly people wishing to speak to someone to occupy some of their time and even share their anxieties and concerns as well as people with mental health difficulties who are saying that this situation has increased their anxiety levels and that they are feeling more depressed indoors,” said Alfred Grixti, the chief executive of the foundation.

Other calls, he said, were from families facing different challenges due to the pandemic, including having to get used to living on a 24/7 basis with the other members of the household leading to quarrels and difficulties, containing their children and occupying their time.

“We also had two calls in which the callers manifested suicidal ideations and a lethality assessment was conducted and help was sent. We also had numerous calls asking about medical advice regarding the coronavirus. We make it clear that such medical advice cannot be given from our end and that they have to reach the COVID-19 helpline 111,” he said.

Meanwhile, earlier this week the government started diverting mental health related calls made to 111 to the Richmond Foundation’s helpline 1770 that runs from Monday to Friday. The foundation offers support to people with mental health problems and their families.

Tracey Zammit, who manages the service, said currently most of the calls – about 30 a day – were from people who had issues handling their anxiety that was often a cause of the uncertainty of the situation. She urged more people to use the service if they needed support.

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