350 teachers in Mumbai learn to identify depression among children

Around 350 school principals and teachers from civic and private schools received counselling on Thursday to help them identify students suffering from depression

Around 350 school principals and teachers from civic and private schools received counselling on Thursday to help them identify students suffering from depression or anxiety.

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The counselling session, held at the auditorium of BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, is a part of several events jointly-organised by the hospital’s psychiatry department and the Indian Psychiatric Society, ahead of the World Mental Health Week (October 4 to 10). This year’s theme is suicide prevention.

“A large number of the Indian population is 10-14 years old. So, it is essential to identify mental illness among this population at an initial stage, especially if they show signs of behavioural or emotional difficulties. Thus, for the first time, we have arranged an eight-day-long event to focus on issues pertaining to mental health,” said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of Nair Hospital.

The doctors of the Nair Hospital will also participate in street plays highlighting mental health issues and the hospital has also organised poster exhibition, rangoli competition and other activities.

“We have also organised poster-making and short-film competitions on mental health welfare, with primary focus on suicide prevention. Many budding film-makers have shown interest in participating in them,” Bharmal said.