Sunday, October 10, 2021: World Mental Health Day is a chance to talk about mental health in general, how we need to look after it, and how important it is to talk about things and get help if you are struggling. Parents need to understand the importance of emotional well-being…theirs and their children too.
The COVID 19 pandemic has further highlighted the effects of inequality on health outcomes and no nation, however rich, has been fully prepared for this. This inequality needs to be addressed and we all have a role to play to address these disparities and ensure that people with lived experience of mental health are fully integrated in all aspects of life. The pandemic has and will continue to affect people, of all ages, in many ways. We need to act, and act now.
On this World Mental Health Day, we celebrate our little butterflies, our ‘Buddies’, who were very supportive to their friends/peers during the pandemic and lock down. Often the first point of contact for a friend suffering from stress and anxiety whom s/he can reach out when facing a problem, or is unhappy about something, the Buddy is trained in basic communication and skills of empathy and is able to reach out to a friend and support the person to get in touch with the adult counsellor- social case worker if the issue is serious and needs an intervention.
The below photo gallery shares images of our buddies listening to their friend’s grievances and sharing their observations/notes with their didi/bhaiyya (social worker), followed by a sensitisation session with parents by the mental health team.
* All photos taken with the consent of children and parents.
#mentalhealthmatters #childrensmentalhealth #emotionalwellbeing #nimhans #Misereor #comicrelief #2eurohelfen
