ANTARA has just started a new journey i.e., “Mental Health Mass Awareness Programme” to cover every District of West Bengal.
We started from the Sundarban Region that is a remote, rural region of West Bengal.
An important factor to respond to any mental health crisis is that you have to identify the symptoms of any potential mental health problem. The people residing at Sundarban area have to fight daily to survive as there is no other option available except agriculture, fishing, crab catching, collecting honey and wood cutting in the tiger prone and crocodile prone areas. Many people get killed each year by tiger attack. Most of the times the family members of the victims cannot even find their loved ones’ body which leads to psychological trauma.
Moreover the death of the bread winner of the family brings economical hardship as well. So Poverty, illiteracy, death in the families – are the things that the people residing at Sundarban face in day to day living. So chances of mental health crisis are common.
Knowing facts about mental health and mental illness are necessary to seek help.
That’s why we chose Sundarban Area as our first target under “Mental Health Mass awareness Programme”.
Baikunthapur Sishu Seva Kendra, an NGO that is working to improve the health and nutritional status of neglected children and their mothers residing in the utmost unreachable remote areas of Sundarban.
We contacted with the NGO who provided us with a chance to reach out to the community volunteers and conduct a training session on- “Mental Health problems and how to overcome the crisis situation”.
A team of mental health professionals with our CEO-Mr. M. Thomas John, from ANTATRA went there on 18.07.2018 for the Mass Awareness Programme.
Let’s be aware of Mental Illness, Let’s pave a path to Mental Wellness.
This blog has been Written by – Ms. Shatabdi Datta
*Disclaimer:- The opinion expressed in the blog is the opinion of the writer & not necessarily the opinion of ANTARA Organization.