Summary of Mental Health Awareness sessions held at Fatehgarh Sahib on 19th and 20th September 2022
Deputy Commissioner office Fatehgarh Sahib had invited Pushpanjali Trust to explore possibilities to work on mental health awareness in the district. After the district level meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Ms. Parneet Shergill on 16th September 2022. It was decided to hold few sessions on a pilot basis and then to continue it if response is good. Thus, two awareness sessions on mental health were conducted with Govt School Teachers of District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab. Two teachers from each senior secondary school of the district attended for the awareness session. Total 96 school teachers attended sessions on 19th and 20th September in two batches under module I. After one-month the same teachers would turn up for module II. Following aspects were covered under module I:
- At 10 am Deputy District Education Officer (DDEO) started the session by introducing the speaker Mr. Gurpreet Singh, Psychiatric Social worker, Pushpanjali Trust Chandigarh. Session began with a pre-session survey form to assess their views and personal experiences about mental health in general. Feelings check exercise was introduced as an ice breaking technique for the teachers. They shared their views and the reason for being present in the session. Most of them were there to attend such a session for the very first time. PowerPoint presentation was used to conduct the session. For the first 15 minutes an interaction was held to share views about the relationship between physical health and mental health. Wellness and illness were also clarified. Maximum teachers were aware of only depression among the Common Mental Health Disorders (CMD). CMDs such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic attack, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and social anxiety were explained one by one by giving suitable examples. Teachers shared symptoms that they had experienced or seen in others. Only a few were familiar with Severe Mental Illnesses (SMI) such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. A short film was played to make it clearer and easier to understand Schizophrenia.
- Developmental disorders of Children such as Autism, Intellectual disability and down syndrome etc. were explained by using graphics. Teachers were able to identify some of the disorders. Symptoms were discussed in detail so teachers can get help to identify any of such students in their schools and can further seek professional help or educate parents. Teachers shared that usually parents refuse to accept that their child has a mental disability.
- Self-help tips were shared with the teachers as some of them have reported some stress. Ten minutes of mindfulness exercise was conducted and many of them felt relaxed.
- Feedback about session: In the end Deputy Commissioner Fatehgarh Sahib came to the session hall and interacted with the participants and took feedback from them. Teachers shared their views and showed good response towards this session. They said they had earlier never attended a session on mental health. DC was very much satisfied with the feedback of all the participants and announced to conduct such more sessions for the education department.
- Future Tasks: Before module II, teachers would conduct some activities on mental health in their respective schools and they have to share with the DEO office. Some reading material and few good movies were also suggested to teachers to know more about mental health.
Thank you note was given by District Development Fellow (DDF) Ms. Arjoo Agarwal.