THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ has turned a cliche-ridden statement these days. As the stigma surrounding mental illnesses is yet to fade out from the mind of many, the statement still acquires a seat of paramount importance in the society. In the backdrop of this situation, the Psychiatry Department of the Government Medical College here has come up with a programme titled ‘Vibhavanam’ for improving mental education among people in the society. The year-long mass-level pilot project is being tried out at the Chenkalchoola Rajaji Nagar Colony in the heart of the city. The project is being implemented in association with the Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society and MANASA, the voluntary health organisation. On the theme, ‘The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health’ - the campaign launched by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) for the Mental Health Day 2011 - the project is set to be realised by finding a solution to various situations that pave the way for mental ill-health among people. According to Dr Anil Prabhakar, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Medical College, the pilot project is conducted to “educate and empower an individual to detect mental illnesses at the earliest. Through this, we wish to inculcate various aspects such as healthy parenting, proper education, proper care and emotional support among people.” Through ‘Vibhavanam’ at Chenkalchoola Rajaji Nagar Colony, a mass-level community messaging programme is intended. The area bound by the urbanised capital city is reeling under several limitations such as space, sanitation and economy. Explains Nazeer E, Social Scientist of the Department of Psychiatry, “the colony thickly populated with 1,500 families, a person lives in a space of four to six square feet on an average, whereas 50 square feet is recommended. Many have a flexible economic source that makes them survive in an unstable economic status, all of which may lead them to develop various mental disturbances.” The area has been found vulnerable to mental agitations after conducting primary field visits and garnering data from the media, the secondary source of information. By eradicating the cause of mental problems, health and social welfare of people is intended through their active participation, he adds. Kerala Mahila Samakhya Society is planning to conduct educational discussions among women and children to root out the problems to be identified in them. Says Seema Bhaskar, Director of the Society, “there exist several stereotypical notion among women, where they suffer mental torments on several aspects without realising their wrong side. So they will be given awareness on their rights in thrust areas such as domestic violence, dowry, reproductive health, problems with work environment and the like. An education in the broader sense is on the anvil.” The project was officially launched by Mayor K Chandrika on October 9 on behalf of the World Mental Health Day at the Colony.
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