‘Public should make use of cops for counselling’

PIGG’S PEAK – The duty of the police is not only to arrest suspects but to assist people who need counselling in troubled relationships.

This is according to a mental health practitioner who asked not to be mentioned. He said the police were available through the Domestic Violence and Children’s Protection Unit. He said the only problem was that people often thought that when they reported their disputes to the police, then the police would use it to arrest them. ‘‘This is not the case,” he said.

He said such instances of violence could be avoided if members of the public approached the police. Further, he also said there were other avenues that could be used such as going to the hospital for counselling and other private facilities.

However, he said in some cases, they could seek the assistance of a clinical psychologists, in cases where there are medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder. He added that in such cases it was important to seek medical assistance.

BEHAVIOUR

The mental health practitioner mentioned that in some cases, issues such as substance use disorder can lead to violent behaviour. He said even abuse of alcohol can result in poor judgment or violent behaviour, which can even lead to loss of life.

He said people experiencing relationship problems should seek assistance so that they could get proper advice on this. The practitioner said they could also be advised on what actions to take when their relationship was not working out including when to walk out.