The Department of Education, Patna Women’s College Autonomous, organised a talk on Mental well-being, on 14th June 2023, for the second-semester students (session 2022-24), under the celebration of India’s Presidency of the G20, in accordance with National Council for Teacher Education, Janbhagidari Activities. The talk was conducted in online mode, over Zoom platform. The resource person for the session was Dr Madhumita, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Patna Women’s College Autonomous. The Talk aimed to sensitise the students about the need and importance of mental well-being and to make them aware of the different strategies for maintaining mental well-being.
The speaker began by explaining the meaning of mental health as being aware of one’s own emotions and knowing the root cause of one’s behaviour or problem. She highlighted major factors that have a significant impact on mental health and wellness, including illness, a lack of basic resources, the inability to provide for oneself and one’s family, as well as unmet life goals. She discussed how mental well-being enables one to cope with the stresses of life and realise one’s abilities. Further brief descriptions of four dimensions of mental well-being were given to students.
The talk focused on raising awareness among students about the crucial role mental well-being plays in leading a fulfilling and balanced life. The talk emphasised that mental well-being encompasses emotional resilience, self-care, and overall psychological stability.
The speaker laid emphasis on practising meditation, as it empowers individuals to actively maintain their mental health, fostering a sense of balance, resilience, and overall well-being. She suggested simple exercises which would help to detox one’s mind which included thinking of any comment when somebody criticised us followed by recognizing the emotion that the criticism brought in us be it stress, anger, irritation, and give it a name and a temporary structure like a balloon, or ball, ready to be thrown away or removed from our body. The speaker enlightened the students with the technique of ‘5 Whys’ to know the root cause of their problems and practised it. Thus, the students learned the technique to talk to their brain.
In the end she stressed on the importance of minding one’s own mind, to know oneself and to maintain one’s mental wellbeing.
