Program on Mental Hygiene in the time of Pandemic is organized by University of Lucknow

University of Lucknow organized an Inerface Program on Mental Hygiene in the time of Pandemic on an online platform. The theme of the event was 'It is okay not to be okay'. The guest speakers of the event were Dr. Pradeep Kumar Khattri, Director, SAMBAL, drug de-addiction and psychiatric hospital and Head of the Department of Psychology, National P.G. College and Dr. Manini Srivastava, Department of Psychology, University of Lucknow. Other eminent guests present in the program were Dr. Anoop Kumar Bhartiya, Head of Department, University of Lucknow, Dr. Ranveer Singh, H.O.D, B.R. Ambedkar University Agra, Prof. A.N. Singh Former-Head of Department, D.S.W and Chief Proctor of University of Lucknow, Dr. Alka Verma, Uttar Pradesh Rashtriya Tandon Open University.

The Conveyor of the program was Ms. Amreen Khan and co-ordinator Ms. Hareem Fatima Nomani, Research Scholars, Department of Social Work, University of Lucknow and welcome address was given by Aditya Sinha, student of Dept. of Social Work, University of Lucknow. More than 100 people attended this program, which included students, academicians, professors and other noble professionals.

The aim of this Interface program was to spread awareness and understanding regarding mental hygiene and its importance in day- to -day life and taking care of one's mental health in the time of pandemic.

Dr. Pradeep Kumar Khattri and Dr. Manini Srivastava while discussing about the importance of mental health informed that apart from physical health,mental health is equally important in today's scenario. Dr. Khattri added by giving three parameters of mental hygiene that covers mental, physical and social well-being of an individual and why balance between these three parameters is important. Dr. Srivastava said that it is very important to share our feelings with some of our closed ones as piling up emotions for long create anxiety, self isolation and feelings of guilt which could lead to extreme cases of depression.

Participants in the session also got the opportunity to raise their doubts and queries to seek help from the experts and received valuable advice and information from them about various tools and techniques to cope up with their anxieties, fear, stress and depression which include deep breathing techniques, self- evaluation, understanding deep emotions, breakdowns, sudden anxiety attacks and other such mental health related issues that have arised during this Covid-19 pandemic. They also focused on the importance of hospitalization of schizophrenic patients.

Dr. Srivastava laid emphasis on the importance of self- evaluation and advised to write a diary before going to bed to cope up with the feeling of loneliness which is very common in today's youth. She also answered query related to negative impact of optimism. She differentiated optimism and over-confidence and advised to "Accept, Adopt and Admire" our piled up emotions for self-evaluation and if necessary to seek help from other available professionals.

All the queries of the participants were answered very diligently by the experts present in the program,making it an interactive and successful event . The session was concluded with warm pleasantries between Mr. Anoop Kumar Bhartiya and guest speakers and at last Vote of Thanks was given by Ms. Sidrah Ahmad, student of Dept. of Social Work,University of Lucknow.

Aradhana Maurya