Promoting Mental Wellness: Daily Habits Awareness Programme

On 20 July 2024, SARVAM, in collaboration with CPCL, organised an awareness session on daily habits to boost mental health for 50 women from seven communities at the Satyam Community Centre in Puducherry.

The session aimed to address the low prioritisation and awareness of mental health among rural residents. Many personal, familial, social, and institutional factors can affect mental health, with those experiencing unfavourable conditions such as poverty, violence, disability, and injustice being more susceptible to mental health issues. Recognising this, SARVAM led a session on everyday routines to improve mental health, conducted by the experienced trainer Dr. Thirumurugan.

Dr. Thirumurugan provided an overview of various ways to enhance daily life through practical strategies. These included developing stress management, interpersonal skills, and decision-making abilities; learning how to care for mental health to boost mood, reduce anxiety, and enhance clear thinking; prioritising healthy sleep habits and limiting social media usage; building strong relationships and friendships; engaging in a variety of physical activities; diversifying diets with mood-boosting foods; taking small steps daily to improve well-being; and understanding the importance of sunlight as a valuable source of vitamin D that can boost mood and attitude.

The program featured activities, opinion sharing, group discussions, and a feedback session. As participants shared their problems and enjoyed the activities, they felt comfortable expressing themselves openly, significantly improving their mental health by reducing feelings of isolation. This supportive environment helped alleviate stress and anxiety, fostering a sense of community and understanding.

The women expressed their happiness at recognising the importance of mental health and committed to avoiding mental illness in the future. They also promised to promote the session’s learnings to their neighbours, highlighting the program’s positive impact on their well-being.