Participants and organisers of the World Mental Health Day programme at Tuensang on October 10. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Tuensang | October 11
Tuensang District Legal Service Authority (TDLSA) under the aegis of Nagaland State Legal Services Authority in collaboration with District Hospital Tuensang organised World Mental Health Day at Tuensang Town Baptist Lashong, Tuensang on October 10.
Speaking on the theme ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World,’ Yangkhumla who is a Clinical Psychologist at District Hospital Tuensang said that the main objective of observing mental health day is to sensitize, prioritize, to give importance and to focus on our mental health. “Physical and mental illness are very much connected; our body works only when our mind is sound and free,” she said, while calling on the gathering to “Ask yourself, are you giving as much importance to your mental health as you give towards physical health.” Citing various studies, Yangkhumla stated that 1 in every 4 person suffers from mental illness and there could be many people in the building suffering from mental illness. However, “the question is, do you talk about it or seek help about it? We must create a proactive legislation which suggests right to access to mental health, right to equality and no discrimination and right to litigate,” she asserted.
A role-play on mental health issues were enacted by district hospital team led by Hongmo Lam, NCD Counsellor.
Psychiatrist Dr Senilo Magh explained in detail about mental health and said that WHO has mentioned 3 components that can define a person to be healthy, and lately spiritual health is also given importance. “In simple terms, mental health is what you think, what you feel and what you do. Mental health is not a virus or a communicable illness but it is an outcome of three things-genetics, personality and environment. These three things when mixed up its outcome is a mental illness in a person,” he explained.
He also explained different types of mental illness, its causes and treatments given by experts in District Hospital Tuensang.
In the discussion and Q&A session the panel of experts were, Kumdilong Kessen, Civil Judge Junior Division-cum-JMFC and Secretary TDLSA; Dr Senilo Magh, Psychiatrist, District Hospital Tuensang;Beigu M Phom, Psychiatric Social Worker, District Hospital Tuensang, and Hongmo Lam, NCD Counsellor, District Hospital Tuensang.
The panel answered various questions relating to diagnosis and treatment of depression and other mental illnesses in Tuensang, most common mental illnesses in the district, different approaches of counselling, etc.
The programme was chaired by P Herola, Panel Lawyer, TDLSA and invocation prayer by Tovishe, Associate Youth Pastor, Sumi Baptist Church, Tuensang. Vote of thanks was delivered by Soteth Anar, Advocate and Project Assistant TDLSA and benediction prayer by Changlemba, Associate Youth Pastor, Yungkuk Baptist Church, Tuensang.
