Students of Baptist Higher Secondary School, Kohima with others during an awareness programme on mental health held on January 25. (Photo Courtesy/DMHP Kohima)
KOHIMA, January 30 (MExN): District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), Kohima organized an awareness programme on mental health in schools and colleges viz. Don Bocso College, Mount Carmel Higher Secondary School, Baptist Higher Secondary School and Dainty Buds in the month of January.
DMHP Kohima in a press release stated that during the sessions, Veronica Nriame, Psychiatric Social Worker highlighted on mental health and mental illness, common mental health issues experiences by adolescents/young people. She explained further by saying that young adults are at a particularly vulnerable time in their development, which might explain why 1 out of every 5 is affected by mental illness.
Depression, anxiety, and addiction disorders are common mental health problems encountered by young people. She also discussed on significance of life skills resilience and how it enables individuals to deal with demands and challenges of everyday life. She stated that it is very crucial for adolescents to be mentally healthy to enjoy optimum level of health.
Ketousenuo Phewhuo, Clinical Psychologist spoke on the symptoms and management of depression and anxiety disorders. She stressed on offering emotional support, understanding, patience and encouragement if you know someone who is depressed, or to talk to trusted friends or family members which is a great place to start.
Because you cannot see it (mental illnesses like depression and anxiety disorders) you need to talk about it. She also mentioned that a depressed adolescent is prone to many problems including: failure in academics, abusing drugs, increased risk of suicide etc.
Kezhano Kenna-o, Psychiatric Nurse dealt on the various common mental health disorders and the various factors aggravating its disorder. She also explained on the statistics of people suffering from common mental disorder and explained that based on 2018 survey, India is one of the most depressed countries in the world. Also, she discussed on the stigma towards mental health issues and urged to take initiative to stamp out mental health problems and to seek treatment at the earliest.
The awareness programme aims to educate young minds about depression, stress, anxiety and addiction disorders. So that one will be equipped with the tools to combat symptoms of the same and to broaden knowledge about the subject, detect and provide early interventions to the individuals who are at risk or suffering from any mental health illnesses.
