A webinar on ‘Mental Wellness for Young Adults in the Time of COVID’ was conducted by Dr. Preetha Rajaraman Health Attaché and South Asia Regional Representative - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Dr. Gauri Divan and Ms. Nivida Chandra, a research scholar at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and founder-editor of TheShrinkingCouch.com, which hosts informational and experiential articles for those affected by mental health concerns.
Dr. Preetha Rajaraman stated that there has been less attention being paid to other health concerns including vaccinations, routine health checkups etc. She added that this is the time of uncertainty that needs to be addressed. She averred that it’s important to think about the social and mental well-being knowing that this scenario won’t end soon and to learn how to live in the new normal. She stressed on the need for social closeness despite being physical distancing. She called for following the social distancing norms, wearing of masks, being sensible about how to interact socially while following safety norms. Dr. Rajaraman shared that mental health aspects need equal attention along with physical health as there’s a stigma attached to it, especially in these pandemic times and requires sharing.
Dr. Gauri Divan is a pediatrician who has been working for Sangath since 2005 talked about the mental health issues prevailing in the adolescents that are the collective reason behind all disabilities, especially in this age group. She added that suicide is the leading cause of death in this age group. She shared about the role of social media and its influence on the young vulnerable minds. Stating the initial symptoms of mental health, Dr. Divan shared that these are insidious including feeling overwhelmed by the world, a sense of panic, being unable to concentrate, not enjoying the usual things, depression & feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness, range of emotions including extreme anger or sadness or be devoid of any feelings among others and asked to be on the lookout for these symptoms. For youngsters willing to seek help though the helpline should be prepared and if someone reaches out to them for mental support, be a good listener.
Ms Nivida Chandra averred that the youngsters should just embrace, accept and identify with what they are going through as there is no written rule to define what they are experiencing. She shared about the grief being experienced due to this communal loss and asked the youngsters to put it into words to share it, accept it to cope with it. She advised them to follow a routine to stop fear from entering the brain. The experts also responded to various queries posed by the students and suggested measures to combat mental stress during this pandemic ridden time.