Counselling services in demand

More people are seeking professional help for illegal drug use and emotional problems.

The country’s lead agency responsible for drug education revealed Tuesday that there has been a slight hike in the number of people reaching out for counselling.

The state-owned National Council on Substance Abuse (NCSA) said that during March 2021 alone, 37 counselling sessions were scheduled.

“Our clients range in age from 13 to 71 and presented with substance use issues, emotional and behavioural issues. With Barbados still being impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic and associated social changes and challenges, it now requires a renewed focus of our counselling outreach because of the impact on mental health and coping strategies,” said the NCSA in a statement.

The council noted that Government recently introduced legislation amending the Drug Abuse and Control Act which allows for personal possession of a small quantity of cannabis without penalty of incarceration.

“However this amendment mandates that persons under the age of 18 be sent to the NCSA for counselling and provides for persons over the age of 18 to also be required to attend counselling sessions at the NCSA, if there is reason to believe that the person is addicted,” the statutory body added.

The NCSA has promised to continue fulfilling requests by employers to speak to their staff about the effects of drug use.

At the same time, the agency said its counsellors will make presentations to educational institutions via traditional media, as well as through online platforms.

The NCSA also offers drug treatment and rehabilitation, community outreach programmes and a research and information option.

A privately-operated facility that provides services for individuals and families experiencing substance abuse and related problems, is also reporting that a significant number of people has been calling for professional help during this COVID period.

Founder of the Centre for Counselling Addiction Support Alternatives (CASA) Orlando Jones, while not in a position to supply figures at this time, told Barbados TODAY that people are reaching out to CASA for assistance on a range of issues including depression.

“Yes, we are getting more calls, but we are not seeing people in person,” Jones stated.

“People are calling and they are expressing concerns they have about anxiety, feeling depressed, feeling lonely, isolated…all of those issues which are affecting people,” the social worker said.

He explained that with residents not being able to turn up at the office due to the health protocols, his organisation is in the process of establishing a special crisis hotline to provide help in a more convenient way.

“We are trying to set up a Mental Health Crisis Hotline for people who have those issues. We sent the proposal to the Ministry of Health to see if we can get some funding. We have not been successful so far. That would be a good help too because people would be able to call in and we would have somebody there who has experience in dealing with mental health issues…a mental health professional…rather than have to go to the Psychiatric Hospital,” the CASA founder disclosed.

Jones, who said the proposal was sent to the Ministry a month ago, added: “The persons who are calling, they might not be coming to you, but if you are able to offer some help to them on a line that would also be a good thing. A lot of people are unemployed, a lot of people are at home…and the children, even though they are now going back to school, there have been a lot of stress factors. We would like to be able to help people in the best way we can.”

He noted that the emotional challenges being experienced by individuals are also having an adverse impact on their families. 

CASA also offers non-medical detoxification, on-site drug testing, assessment, evaluation and special therapy for adolescent rehabilitation. (EJ)