World Mental Health Day observed
Srinagar: On the eve of World Mental Health Day on Tuesday, the Department of Psychology, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar, in collaboration with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), organized a function at GMC Auditorium in which experts, including administrators deliberated upon the psychological issues confronted by the population, and the measures to deal with such issues.
The theme from 2017 is “Work Place Mental Health,” and those who spoke on the occasion deliberated upon various issues being faced by people working at different places.
Speakers impressed upon the need to have good psychological and the need to have an effective system to identify those who are suffering from such issues and encouraging them to ask for treatment for the same.
Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Abid Rashid was the Guest of Honour on the occasion, who talked about the need to tackle the rising psychological disorders.
While saying that we are living in a very difficult place, he said “our future (youth) is facing a bad situation. We are living in a place where the circumstances are difficult and where there are lot of mental issues. I have served for many years in South Kashmir and have had a firsthand account of what it is all about,” he added.
While commending the department of psychology, he said that the department was doing a commendable job, “medics associated with mental health are doing a great job and particularly the department of Psychology. Being a doctor I can understand how is it to deal with such patients,” he said.
Impressing that the society has to shun the approach of not talking about mental issues, he said that our society does not talk about such issues and with the result it is eating up the very roots of our society, “there is a need to change that outlook,” he said.
While speaking on the occasion, Head of the Psychology Department, Dr Muhammad Maqbool Dar, impressed upon the need to treat such patients with extra care and compassion.
“If a patient comes to you with any psychological disorder, it is our duty to treat the patient with compassion and care,” he said.
Dr. Maqbool also presented a year wise data about the patient inflow that the Mental Diseases Hospital, Badamwari and Drug De-addiction Centre (DDC), SMHS witnessed.
According to the data, in the year 2014-15, Mental Diseases Hospital, Badamwari received 3114 OPD patients, and treated 227 IPD patients. In 2015-16, it received 3395 OPD patients treated 245 IPD patients. During 2016- 17 (Feb), it received 2157 OPD patients and treated 175 IPD patients.
While as DDC during 2014-15 received 649 OPD patients and treated 119 IPD patients. In 2015-16 it received 1263 OPD patients and treated 203 IPD patients and during 2016-17 (Until Feb) the centre received 535 OPD patients, and treated 212 IPD patients.
He also presented a detailed power point presentation on the facilities and services available at Mental Diseases Hospital, Badamwari and Drug De-addiction Centre (DDC), SMHS and various initiatives taken up by the department.
Pertinent to mention, Mental Diseases Hospital, Badamwari, in collaboration with J&K Bank, on Monday organized a musical program for the inmates of the hospital within the premises of Almond Clove, Badamwari throughout the day.
While talking about the theme of the day, Dr. Zaid Wani, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology said that in the times of great competition there is a lot of stress and where it is important to tackle such issues.
“You see there is a lot of competition all around, and with that there is a lot of stress, today’s event was aimed to point out the issues being faces, and propose solutions to the same.” he said.
The event was attended by the students of different departments of GMC, including a good number of students from Women’s College, MA Road, Amar Singh College, including doctors and psychologists.
The event was followed by prize distribution ceremony in which prizes were distributed to students from different colleges who participated in debate and other activities during the event.
KV Correspondent
