PUDUKKOTTAI: In a pilot initiative to spread the message of mental health, the Pudukkottai district mental health department has formed a mental health ambassadors club in schools and colleges.
The idea is to make mental health a day-to-day topic for discussion. Every Thursday would be celebrated as ‘Mental Health Thursday’ in Pudukkottai government offices, colleges and schools.
“We want to create awareness, make people identify others in distress and teach people how to approach a problem. For this, we are creating a mental health ambassadors club. Through these clubs, we hope to create awareness. Every Thursday, we would be sharing messages on mental health in government offices,
colleges and schools. We hope to remove the stigma attached with mental health,” said Dr Karthik Deivanayagam, district psychiatrist, Pudukkottai.
Heads of institutions, heads of departments, faculty, students and the differently-abled would all form a part of the clubs. The first one has been formed at Government Arts College for Women in Pudukkottai.
A sensitization meeting was held for faculty and students on Thursday. Collector P Uma Maheshwari, Joint Director, Medical and Rural Services Dr M Chandrasekaran and Deivanayagam sensitised the public as part of the programme.
“We need to identify help-seeking behavior. We want to create awareness on a weekly basis,” said the Collector.