RCJC Builds Mental Health Kit
THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT OF BEING QUARANTINED AT HOME AND FOLLOWING SOCIAL DISTANCING NORMS HAS BECOME A CHALLENGE FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING TEENAGERS.
Thus, the avenue of Professional Development of the Rotaract Club of Jai Hind College came up with the idea of organising ‘Dear Me’, a unique seminar on building a personalised mental health kit. This seminar was exclusively for club members only.
On September 3rd, after having prepared the materials needed to create the mental health kit, the seminar began at 7:00 pm on Zoom. The seminar dealt with various aspects of protecting the mental health such as:
- How to cope with stress
- Remembering to love oneself
- Creating and visiting a “happy place” in times of sadness
- Connecting and bonding with people who help and facilitate our mental well-being.
- Meditation, yoga, adequate food and rest.
- Getting rid of negativity
The seminar was interactive. Participants were assured that it was a “safe space” to be in. A few fun activities were also a part of the event.
To cope with anxiety, the game, 5-4-3-2-1 was taught to the participants.
Name 5 things you can see.
Name 4 things you can touch.
Name 3 things you can hear.
Name 2 things you can smell.
Name 1 thing you can taste.
It helps in refocusing the attention from the stressor to something else, thereby putting an individual at ease and giving time to calm down and think rationally.
The participants were asked to write all toxic and negative aspects of their lives and taught to “delete” them by tearing that sheet or paper. Having done this activity with a group of people, all those involved felt light and relaxed post the activity.
At the end of the project, the participants were advised to remember that they own a special mental health kit. They were also cautioned about the fact that while this project was to help them feel better, they must seek professional help in case they are facing something serious.
‘Dear Me’ was a successful project which gained positive feedback from all the participants. It gave the Professional Development Team immense satisfaction to have organised this project, especially when the members were flooded with messages of how participants connected with their old friends who made them happy.
The professional development team of the Rotaract Club of Jai Hind College intends to keep organising such projects to ensure the well-being of its members.
