Anthony Furtado's son went into a shell and was unusually quiet after he thought he had fared badly in a subject in his standard 12 exams. After some days, the 17–year–old committed suicide fearing he would fail. He had stopped taking his anti–depressants days before he took the drastic step.

When theresults were out, Anthony found out his son had scored 64. Six years after the death, Furtado counsels disturbed minds and helps people read tell–tale sings. On Monday, he was a speaker at an outreach programme initiated by civicrun Sion hospital to sensitize community leaders and activists to read signs of disturbed minds. The leaders and activists will go back to the community and teach people about the basics of mental health and reading signs.

"I always think that had I known my son's sudden change in behavior was a problem sign, I could have intervened at the right time," said Furtado, a school administrator. He now spreads the word that a normal person can do something abnormal. 'Make the call before you quit' is his message.

The workshop emphasized how a phone call at the appropriate time can help a person to take his/her mind off suicidal tendencies. Psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty said the programme was aimed at training leaders and activists who will identify people in need of help and bring them to mental health professionals. "We have to diagnose and treat mental health issues like we do in the case of say malaria," he said.

Shetty has joined hands with Dr Nilesh Shah, the head of psychiatry department, Sion Hospital, to sensitize and train leaders on the basics of mental health and problem signs. Some school and college heads insisted the programme also be organized for students, parents and teachers.

Dr Suleman Merchant, head of radiology and a brain behind the programme, said it has reached representatives of the railway police, ticketcheckers' association, colleges, schools, bar association, activists and NGOs.