It would be an understatement to say that the seminar on ‘Understanding Mental Health Issues: Myths and Prevention’ — organized by the Department of Liberal Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and presented by Dr Amandeep Singh on the 18^th of August 2023 was a grand success. The event was attended by approximately 200 students from the department, including 1^st and 2^nd years across all courses in DLHS, as well as faculty.

The event started off with Dr Amandeep Singh warmly welcoming the crowd and talking about mental health, its importance and the stigma around the same. Evidently, busting myths about mental health is what caught all the attendees’ attention; our resource person ensured all misconceptions and misbeliefs about mental health and how to treat it were debunked while using relatable examples. Dr Singh clearly explained the distinction between what society might think of mental health & how they attempt to treat that person with unscientific advice and what actual help in the context of mental health means. Following this was a brief on mental health disorders such as Depression, Anxiety and how they affect a person as well as what the symptoms of having them might be. This was a catalyst in eliminating any misunderstandings our audience might have possessed about mental disorders and its kinds.

Subsequently, Dr Singh gave us a clear and detailed idea about what might unfortunately be the result of not getting help while undergoing the affects of a mental health crisis: Suicide. Although a sensitive topic, it was beautifully and considerately explained. The attendees got to hear about the reasons behind a suicide, the various stages of suicide, their indications and most importantly, prevention. Speaking of which, this lecture gave us all the rare opportunity to learn about something vital: Psychological First Aid (PFA). Although not all of us are trained professionals and cannot offer to sort out disorders, we can offer First Aid, just as we would if someone was physically hurt. Since this has to be handled tactfully, we were presented first with the Don’ts of PFA and only then the Dos.

Testimony to the fact that the event was a grand success was our Questions and Answers session: it was filled with interesting questions from not only an inquisitive student body but also curious faculties who all nodded their head in consensus to the answers they were offered. Now, we can very well say, with our heads raised high, that DLHS is aware about mental health and its many struggles; the department as a whole will go on to learn more, raise awareness and guide those who suffer and those who want to aid. The guest lecture was curated by Dr. Arunima Dube Upadhyay and Dr Amandeep Singh.