The echoes of rallies, gunshots, and desperate screams still haunt Nazmul (pseudonym), an activist of the July uprising.
“For weeks, I could not sleep,” Nazmul said. “Every loud noise made me flinch. I felt like I was still in the middle of that chaos.”
That changed when he reached out to Talk Hope, a mental health support initiative that offers free services to anyone in need.
Nazmul told Dhaka Tribune: "I messaged them on their Facebook page and got support. “Currently, I am taking sessions with their psychiatrists.”
The Facebook page Talk Hope was started on February 29, 2024, following the suicide of a close friend of its chief coordinator, Kanan Faysal.
Kanan is a student of Uttara University, who said Talk Hope has provided mental health support to multiple people carrying trauma.
Currently, two professional psychiatrists, Rowshan Ara Rubi and Ahmed Samad Dewan, are giving therapy sessions on Talk Hope.
Kanan said: “As people can not remain anonymous on Facebook, many people hesitate to knock us.”
Talk Hope is planning to start a toll-free number in July.
Kanan said: “The number will help the recipients to remain anonymous.”
Besides giving mental health help online, Talk Hope is also organising seminars in institutions to make students aware about mental health issues.
