Srinagar: A day-long mental health awareness camp was held at the Kashmir University’s Institute of Technology, Zakura Campus.
The camp was organised by the Health Centre of IOT Zakura in collaboration with Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College Srinagar to educate students about different coping strategies and techniques related to stress, depression and anxiety, among others.
Registrar Dr Nisar A Mir inaugurated the camp and underscored various vulnerabilities of children, especially teenage students, to one or the other kind of psychological distress in wake of peer pressure, sense of academic competition and stress related to studies and examinations.
Complimenting the Health Centre at IOT Zakura for organising the programme, Dr Mir said such awareness camps can be held fortnightly to provide right mental health counseling and guidance to a vast number of students and hostel boarders at IOT Zakura. He said such a programme can also be extended to the main campus.Director IOT Zakura Prof Gowhar Bashir Vakil said the awareness camp has been organised for the benefit of students who are being guided and counseled to focus on studies in a congenial atmosphere.
Guest speakers Dr Junaid Nabi, Assistant Professor and Ms. Isha Malik, Psychological Counsellor, from Department of Psychiatry, GMC Srinagar underlined the pressing need to “destigmatise” mental health concerns and “normalising” mental health discussions in the society. Isha also demonstrated before student participants various techniques to cope with stress, depression or anxiety.Dr Iqra Mehraj, In-charge Health Centre at IOT delivered the welcome address and highlighted the aims and objectives of the awareness camp.