AIIMS Bhubaneswar to hold awareness campaign on mental health

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar will conduct a series of programmes to raise awareness and promote mental health among youths in the run-up to World Mental Health Day on October 10. 

The Department of Psychiatry, College of Nursing and Department of Community Medicine and Family Medicine collaborated for interactive programmes on youth substance abuse, gadget addiction, youth psychology and mental health problems in changing times at GIFT Engineering College and Rama Devi Women's University, Bhubaneswar.

Along with these, a walkathon and various literary competitions like essay writing, slogan writing and poster competitions will be held among the MBBS and Nursing students to sensitise the young budding medical professionals of India about youth mental health.

Dr Susanta Padhy, Head of Department of Psychiatry, said, "We have also conducted an awareness lecture in AIIMS Outpatient Department while lectures by mental health experts and cyber experts have been planned on Wednesday to mark the event."

"Young people are being subjected to a number of stressors which may lead to several mental health problems ranging from depression and anxiety to psychosis. It is high time to understand the mental health of youth," Padhy added.