Happenings, Nov '13
Priyanka Bhaduri reports on an event to mark the World Mental Health Day in Kolkata
Kolkata, October 10, 2013: The Centre for Counselling Services and Studies in Self Development (CCSSS), Jadavpur University organized a daylong event to observe the World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2013 at the Subarna Jayanti Building in the university campus. The welcome address for the event, the central theme for which was ‘celebrate, connect and grow’, was given by Prof. Souvik Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor, Jadavpur University.
Priyanka Bhaduri is a student with the Centre
for Counselling Services and Studies in Self Development, Jadavpur University.
Priyanka Bhaduri reports on an event to mark the World Mental Health Day in Kolkata
Kolkata, October 10, 2013: The Centre for Counselling Services and Studies in Self Development (CCSSS), Jadavpur University organized a daylong event to observe the World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2013 at the Subarna Jayanti Building in the university campus. The welcome address for the event, the central theme for which was ‘celebrate, connect and grow’, was given by Prof. Souvik Bhattacharya, Vice Chancellor, Jadavpur University.
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| Photo credit: CCSSS |
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sadhan
Chakraborty, a member of the CCSSS faculty, said, “Our mind and body, both are
integral parts of our being, but we discriminate between them. While the mind
and body are closely connected, we treat physical discomfort immediately and
ignore or get irritated with mental distress or illness.”
Prof. Sadhan Chakraborty added that there
was a myth that mentally ill people could remove their illness if they wanted
to. Mental discomfort or illness was also not something one was born with. He
said, “While navigating the odds of life, some of us, if not all, sometimes get
mentally disturbed and unwell. When this happens, we need respect and empathy to
help us make a conscious effort to get better.”
The daylong event comprised of screening of
film clips followed by audience interaction, poster display and games. The
objective of the film clips was to engage the audience with mental health
issues. Two film clips each from six popular films were shown – Abohoman, Ichhe,
Life of Pi, Avatar, English Vinglish and Kahaani. The audience comprised of
students and others from various walks of life.
The film clips were used to prompt certain feelings
in the audience. This encouraged the audience to share memories and experiences,
and this, in turn generated emotions among the listeners. The facilitation of
emotions and the process of giving a meaning to them led to an appreciation of
the emotions, which contributed to mutual bonding, collective sharing and individual
growth. The entire process was explained by Prof. Sadhan Chakraborty and other facilitators
as a demonstration of the process of counselling for mental health.
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| Photo credit: CCSSS |
The posters on display communicated various
issues of mental health. The themes included celebrating the state of well-being,
concerns about problem areas, and how connection, support and growth can lead
to coping and well-being. Teenage stress problems and coping strategies for the
families and friends of the mentally ill were other key poster themes.
The objective of the games corner was to
ensure an active participation by the visitors. Games with catchy names like Are
You on the Anger Balloon? and Emotion Thermometer guided people in identifying
their own emotions, understanding the pointers of emotional distress, and
learning how to cope with it through counselling and treatment.
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