Immanuel College hosts national seminar on Youth Mental Health

Immanuel College, Dimapur organized a one-day national seminar on September 12 under the theme “Unravelling the Exacerbating Growth of Anxiety and Depression among Youths in India’s North East.” The seminar was sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research–North Eastern Regional Centre (ICSSR-NERC) and hosted by the college’s Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) at the College Conference Hall.
The keynote address was delivered by head and associate professor, Department of Psychology, Cotton University, Guwahati Dr. Dimpy Mahanta. She emphasized that mental health issues in the Northeast are shaped by distinct regional factors, including socio-political dynamics, economic stressors, educational pressure and cultural expectations. Dr. Mahanta called for urgent multi-stakeholder collaboration to address youth mental health before it escalates into a broader social crisis.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Nagaland University, Dr. Lovika P. Shikhu, spoke on the theme in the context of Nagaland. Quoting Aristotle, she highlighted the importance of emotional regulation and introduced the concept of mentalization—understanding one’s own and others’ mental states. She also shared insights from her research on mentalisation-based cognitive therapy for conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and internet gaming disorder.
Assistant professor (Psychology), Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) Delhi, Dr. Amrita Pain, presented on strategies to address anxiety and depression among youth in the region. She discussed her research methodology and emphasized the role of family, education, and self-care in nurturing mental well-being.
The seminar featured two technical sessions chaired by assistant professor, Dimapur Government College Dr. Razouneinuo Soukhrie. In session I, paper presenters explored topics including community attitudes toward mental illness among Nagas, emotional regulation in youth with alcoholic parents, mental health stigma in Dimapur and social support among college students in Chumoukedima. Session II included studies on aggression and ADHD among adolescents in Nagaland, psychological burdens of young cancer patients in Tripura, and a review of psychological scales measuring depression, anxiety, and stress.
The inaugural session was chaired by HoD and assistant professor, Department of Economics Dr. Temsusenla Ao. Vice Principal Dr. Imchanochetla Changkija delivered the welcome address, followed by remarks from IQAC Coordinator Nengpilhing.
The seminar provided a platform for academic exchange and highlighted the urgent need for mental health interventions tailored to the Northeast’s unique socio-cultural landscape.