Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 10: The Psychological Counseling Cell of Government College of Education, Jammu, in collaboration with the NSS unit, IIC, NCORD, and the Student Welfare Committee, organized a seminar on the theme "Changing the Narrative on Suicide" to mark World Suicide Prevention Day. The event was held under the patronage of College Principal, Dr. (Prof.) Jyoti Parihar, who emphasized the importance of raising awareness about mental health issues and applauded the initiative taken by the organizing teams. She encouraged students to actively participate in such events to better understand and address the challenges related to mental health.
Dr. Ambica Kumari, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Convenor of the Psychological Counseling Cell, served as the resource person for the seminar. She addressed the critical factors leading to depression and suicidal tendencies, including psychological disturbances, societal rejections, career pressures, and loneliness. Noting that the 15-29 age group is particularly vulnerable, she stressed that suicide is preventable through early recognition of risk factors and warning signs. Dr. Ambica also informed attendees about India's first national suicide prevention strategy, introduced in November 2022, and highlighted the KIRAN mental health helpline (1800-599-0019), a 24/7 service for those in need of support.
The seminar featured an interactive panel discussion with students, focusing on the significance of open communication in reducing the incidence of suicide. The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Sonam Gandotra, Assistant Professor of Computer Applications, and was attended by various faculty members, including Dr. Davinder Kour, Dr. Sushma Bala, Dr. Shalini Sharma, Prof. Roopa Kumari, Prof. Kiran Thappa, and Dr. Suraj Prakash.
The event was made successful by the joint efforts of the Psychological Counseling Cell, led by Prof. Sarita Dogra, NSS PO, and student volunteers Sonia Chib, Vishakha Chib, Neha Kotwal, and Diksha Sharma. |
