Dimapur Government College with the support of the Department of Higher Education, Nagaland, and coordinated by the Department of Psychology, organised a workshop on “Mental Health and Wellness” on November 2.
Dimapur, November 2 (MExN): Dimapur Government College (DGC), with the support of the Department of Higher Education, Nagaland, and coordinated by the Department of Psychology, organised a workshop on “Mental Health and Wellness” on November 2.
Around 60 teachers from schools, colleges and universities across Dimapur, including Chümoukedima and Niuland, attending the programme aimed at raising awareness of mental health and psychological well-being, a press release said.
The programme began with a welcome address by Dr T Tiakaba Jamir, Principal, DGC, who highlighted the growing mental stress experienced by both teachers and students due to changes in the governance system, increasing workloads and the absence of clearly defined working hours. He commended the Department of Psychology for organising the workshop and noted that although it was primarily intended for teachers, its benefits would in turn reach students.
Dr Temsusenla Jamir, Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Psychology, delivered introductory remarks on the theme “Understanding Mental Health and Wellness.” She welcomed the teachers from other institutions and emphasised that well-being extends beyond physical health. She urged participants to reflect on three questions: how attentive they are to their own mental well-being, how they respond when someone around them is struggling, and what kind of educational institutions they are helping to create.
The address, titled “Promoting Mental Wellness: Practical Strategies for Well-being,” was delivered by resource person Dr Lovika P Shikhu, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Nagaland University. She spoke on practical approaches to maintaining mental wellness, drawing on psychological concepts as well as her professional and personal experiences.
On work-life balance, Dr Shikhu introduced the “Four Burners Theory,” in which the four burners of a gas stove represent four areas of life—family, friends, health and work. Since it is difficult to excel in all four at once, she suggested that one must consciously prioritise, drawing on her own experience of balancing parenting and work.
She introduced the concept of Positive Psychology and distinguished between “hedonia,” the pursuit of pleasure, and “eudaimonia,” the striving to find meaning and purpose in life. She stressed the need to align one's skills and potential with the challenges of one's work, and noted that the National Education Policy (NEP) reflects an understanding of student well-being by giving students the freedom to choose paths that suit them.
Referring to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, she outlined the progression from physiological needs to safety and security, love and belongingness, self-esteem and, finally, self-actualisation, which she identified as the ultimate aim of mental well-being. She also outlined practical measures for maintaining mental wellness, including mindfulness-based stress reduction, becoming aware of one's thoughts without reacting to them immediately, cultivating spirituality, practising gratitude, prioritising adequate sleep, maintaining a balanced diet and nurturing healthy relationships with family members, friends, colleagues, support staff and the wider community.
Drawing on her professional and personal experience, Dr Shikhu also spoke of the mental health challenges associated with motherhood. She noted that women's well-being cannot be secured through willpower alone, as women are not immune to postpartum trauma and antenatal depression, and emphasised that awareness of symptoms such as emotional instability is essential.
The programme concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session covering topics such as menopause and mental health, insomnia, parental awareness, supporting students with mental health difficulties, the social stigma surrounding mental disorders, workplace stress and avoiding burnout in professional life.
