Along with the rest of the world, District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) and educational institutions observed “World Mental Health Day”, across the state on October 9 and 10 in their respective places.
C-Edge College: Department of Psychology, C-Edge College commemorated Mental Health Day by organizing an exhibition on October 9, with the aim to provide psycho-educational resources to both students and faculty, emphasizing on the theme “Mental Health at Work”, and the importance of mental well-being.
The exhibition showcased importance of healthy mind and highlighted common workplace related mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Students from the department set up various informative stalls that focused on psycho-education related to the illnesses.
The attendees that include faculty, staff and students from other departments were given the opportunity to engage in psychometric tests designed to foster self-awareness and understanding of their mental health.
In addition to educational resources, the release added that the exhibition featured variety of interactive activities, whereby attendees participated in art therapy sessions, created mood boards, and engaged in feelings checks, all aimed at promoting mindfulness and stress management.
Wokha: Commemorating the “World Mental Health Day”, District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) Wokha, conducted an awareness programme based on the theme “It’s time to prioritize mental health in the workplace”, at CMO Conference Hall Wokha on October 10.
A press release by CMO Wokha, stated that theme speaker, clinical psychologist DMHP Wokha, Amenla Longkumer, emphasized on the growing need of mental health support in workplace environment. She said that employees with mental health support were likely to perform better and have more job satisfaction.
Longkumer further spoke on the need to plan intervention on mental health at workplace by promoting leisure activities, spirituality, counseling, rehabilitation support and encouraging treatment compliance. “For mental well-being at workplace, we can practice gratitude and be a source of social support”, she stated, while also highlighting on the recovery process such as therapy, counseling and medication.
Delivering the keynote address, nodal officer DMHP, Wokha, Dr. Chumdemo Kikon, said that people often tend to neglect mental health and highlighted on rising cases of suicide in community. He underlined factors contributing to mental health issues in workplace such as excessive workload, discrimination or harassment, limited support from colleagues, unsafe working condition, job insecurity, absence of social life etc., and urged staff to be committed to their assigned work and support each other.
The release added that chief medical officer Wokha, Dr. Zubenthung Kikon, acknowledged DMHP Wokha for organising the programme and expressed hope that it would enlighten staff on importance of mental health.
Tetseo College: Department of Psychology, Tetso College, commemorated “World Mental Health Day” by holding two events focusing on mental health in the workplace.
A community outreach programme was held at NIDCL Dimapur, on October 5, with assistant professor, Lamyile Meru, addressing employees on “Building Wellness: Supporting Mental Health”. She emphasized how workplaces should promote meaning and purpose rather than stress and burnout and discussed strategies which included leadership engagement, workload management, clear boundaries, and comprehensive leave policies.
The presentation also highlighted how workplace stress results in substantial financial losses for organizations through absenteeism and reduced productivity.
A campus workshop was also held on October 8, with clinical psychologist CIHSR, Imlibenla Mongro, conducting a workshop for faculty and staff, focusing on stress response patterns.
She introduced practical stress management techniques, including situation assessment and task prioritization through numerical structuring.
To combat stress, the speaker suggested that individuals should assess and categorize situations, distinguishing between real threats and misplaced stress.
NHAK: District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) celebrated “World Mental Health Day” on the theme, “It is time to prioritize mental health in the workplace” on October 9.
Clinical psychologist DMHP, Ruokuotuonuo Rutsa, dwelled on the theme and stressed on management at workplace through relaxation exercises.
She added that mental well-being was significant for productivity and quality of work and also highlighted on essential steps that can be taken by management for promotion and protection of mental health of health workers.
Consultant psychiatrist and nodal officer DMHP, Dr. Thinuosatuo Mezhu, delivered opening remarks and highlighted on the services available, while Theresa and Dr. Sungtimen Jamir, enlightened the gathering with their speeches on mental health significance and mental health issues. The programme was attended by nurses, counselors and staff of NHAK.
DMHP Phek: District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) Phek in collaboration with “Mentoring and Counseling Cell” Phek Government College (PGC) celebrated “World Mental Health Day” under the theme “It is time to priorities mental health in the workplace” on October 10, at PGC.
A press release by DMHP Phek stated that students from various departments of PGC participated in “Street Play” organised by DMHP, Phek where they highlighted common mental illness.
The street play was based on three common but major mental health issues, street in workplace, anxiety, depression, substance use disorder and mobile addiction, with the aim to showcase various symptoms of mental health issues.