ETALIN/ANINI, 14 Sep: Community members, educators, and students participated in a three-day awareness programme on ‘Mental health, suicide resilience promotion and good touch and bad touch’, organised by the All Idu Mishmi Students’ Union and the Kongo Youth Association, in collaboration with the All Arunachal Pradesh Psychological Association (AAPPA), in Etalin and Anini in Dibang Valley district.
The programme, which concluded on Thursday, featured interactive sessions, workshops, and ‘expert-led discussions’ conducted by resource persons Dr Jyoti Tamuk, Koj Rinyo and Habung Antung, and Sapna Linggi from the RIWATCH, to engage the stakeholders, according to a release.
It focused on raising awareness about the prevalence and impact of mental health issues and suicides in the region; breaking stigmas surrounding mental health and fostering empathy and understanding; providing information on mental health conditions, warning signs, support and treatment by experts from the AAPPA; providing practical strategies and techniques to enhance resilience and coping skills among individuals, families and communities; and promoting help-seeking behaviour by encouraging individuals to reach out for professional assistance.
Information about local mental health services and helplines was shared to ensure access to immediate support.
