In an attempt to create awareness on mental health issues, a five-day camp was set up in CR Park’s Durga Puja pandal. The innovative five-day event that aims to creatively engage young people on the issues of mental health, culminated on October 10 which is observed as the World Mental Health Day.
Since the puja pandals attract hoards of people, the camp was set up to approach the subject of mental health in a unique manner.
In the B-Block Puja pandal, the event offered interactive audio visual booth and thought-provoking comic strips. The camp saw young children participating in art and drawing competition on mental health topics.
The event was a part of a larger mental health initiative led by eminent psychiatrist and researcher, Prof Vikram Patel, co-director of the Centre for Control of Chronic Conditions at PHFI (Public Health Foundation of India), which aims to create a dialogue with youth in India on mental health and develop a psycho-social intervention for school-going adolescents.
Since mental health is usually brushed under the carpet as it is still battling stigma and shame, the event dealt with helping people understand that hiding or not acknowledging mental illness can have long term effects.
The event had been curated around this year’s WHO theme for Mental Health Day, “psychological first aid”, and is aimed at increasing awareness of basic mental health first aid and to empower especially young people to understand better how to help and support their peers who may face mental health challenges.
The event “World Mental Health Day, 2016” included a unique kiosk with a multimedia interactive exhibit, and some power-packed performances by youth organisations like Music Basti, Dribble Academy, Manzil, and Shopno Ekhon. It was hosted by PHFI’s PRIDE project. The PRIDE project is a research programme seeking to develop psychosocial interventions for adolescents with mental health problems in India. It is implemented by PHFI, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Sangath.
