My brother is 20. He finished school in 2008 and enrolled in an engineering course in Bangalore. But for the last two years his results have been very poor. He was not even promoted. He spent my father’s hard earned money uselessly. Now he is planning to study engineering in Calcutta. My father is not ready to pay for him again. We cannot trust him anymore. What should we do now?

Name and address withheld

Do nothing. Ask him to join the civil society movement and if he owns a pair of women’s clothing, then send him to Baba Ramdev and tell him to go on hunger-strikes: he will become more famous than your father and you and if he follows Baba Ramdev, he will become rich too and will be on television every morning doing funny things with his stomach and other organs. Simple son? No point in making this duffer an engineer or else he will only be responsible for enabling more flyovers to collapse.

I am 21 years old. I have completed my graduation and I am working in an organisation. I have decided to go for higher studies. But because of certain problems I have to finance my own education. My family is poor, my father has passed away and since I am the only son I have a lot of responsibility towards my family. I feel very lonely and depressed at times. Please help.

Name and address withheld

Lonely and depressed? Look suicide is an easy option but in today’s times it is both expensive and given your competence levels, you might fail even at that so my suggestion is get out of this so-called depression and start working. Do any kind of work. Stop whining and hoping to gain sympathy because we are not at all moved by your predicament. Raj Thackeray has a worse life and he heads a political party so you are not that badly off son. Get out of this mind trap and put your shoulder to the wheel and all of this will disappear.

HELP AT HAND

Alcoholics anonymous

10A, Nandan Road, Near Ganja Park, Calcutta - 25,
Ph: 2419 1174
For free help on alcoholism
E-mail: akolkata_ig03@rediffmail.com
(2p.m. to 6p.m. Mondays through Saturdays)

Al-Anon (for families and friends of alcoholics)

Ph : 8420738682
(2p.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays)
www.india.al-anon.alateen.org

Narcotics anonymous

(Kolkata area helpline)
Ph: 9836223071; www.nakolkata.org
Email: info@nakolkata.org
Self-help group of recovering addicts

HelpAge India

1800-345-1253
Free helpline for the elderly for social, legal, economical, financial counselling and also access to government schemes and policies

Lifeline Foundation

Ph: 2463 7401/ 2463 7432
Free helpline for the depressed or suicidal
(10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturdays)

Sparsha

AE-36, Rabindra Pally, PO: Prafulla Kanan, Calcutta - 01
Ph: 2591 0334, 2591 3852, 6529, 9856
Free tele-counselling and one-on-one counselling on personal relationships and HIV/ AIDS
(10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays)