Hear and Now

Name of the activity: Hear and Now

Country/NMO: Pakistan (IFMSA-Pakistan)

Program: Mental Health

Contact information: [email protected]

Type of the activity: Capacity Building (Training or Workshop). Teaching and develop knowledge, skills and techniques in a particular field. While training can have any form, workshops are more formal and also include exchange of information between participants.

General description:

Hear & Now is an activity conducted by SCOPH-IFMSA-Pakistan-SKZMDC-LC to improve the mental health of undergraduate students, and practicing doctors, in order to improve the quality of life and fight against the rising tide of depression and suicide, which has plagued society for far too long.

Focus area:

Mental Health advocacy and public awareness

Problem statement:

Around 50 million people are suffering from common mental disorders in Pakistan. The illness afflicts 15 to 35 million adults, which is about 10 to 20 percent of the population.

As the life expectancy of young adults falls due to increasing suicide rates, (SCOPH)- SKZMDC, Lahore- LC, a part of IFMSA-Pakistan intends to train the population in the art of life management in order to ensure that people ( student body) learn to lead better, more wholesome lives.

Target groups:

Medical students, Other Students

Beneficiaries:

General population, Medical students

Objectives and indicators of success:

1. To teach 60 undergraduate students and faculty members to better control/manage their Stress via an interactive workshop.

2. To teach 60 participants to better manage their anger via an interactive workshop.

3. To teach 60 participants about depression, its link to suicide, and how to manage depressive, suicidal thoughts via an interactive workshop.

4. To teach 60 participants on how to better achieve personal happiness and boost self-esteem to decrease the risk of developing depression via an interactive workshop.

5. To teach 60 participants about how to improve decision making skills and improve decisiveness through an interactive workshop, to reduce anxiety and frustration.

6. To teach 60 participants about how to improve and maintain better relationships with those around us, through an interactive workshop

7. To sensitize the general public on social media to discussions related to mental health, and to understand what the general public’s perception of mental health issues are

8. To shun common myths and legends about mental health, and to promote positive mental health.

Methodology:

1. Conducting Interactive Workshops, titled “MindShops” in collaboration with a Professional Psychiatrist on topics that improve and promote an emotionally healthy lifestyle. Topics will include Stress Management, Anger Management, Improving Self Esteem, Better Decision making, and Managing Depression and preventing suicide.

2. Form an email account for content submissions for an online campaign on discussions related to mental health, and the problems people face in their lives. Titled the “#IWish” campaign.

3. Post content received earlier, on social media, and ask people in the general population to submit their own content in a similar fashion

4. Continue this cycle for as long as content is received.

Plans for evaluation:

Written and verbal feedback by participants of the workshops, titled “MindShops”

Social media monitoring using social media indicators, for the #IWish Campaign

Evaluation: Carefully designed Pre and Post Evaluation forms will be used for this purpose