‘Increase gratitude towards life, improve your mental health’

Varanasi: The Psychology Section of Mahila Mahavidalaya, Banaras Hindu University organized a lecture-cum-interactive session on ‘strategies to stay alive: Adaptive toolbox for healthy Living’ on the occasion of the World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10) on Saturday.
Addressing the event, the counseling psychologist from IIT(BHU), Dr. Laxman Yadav said that suicide has become a critical issue in today’s society and around 1.90 lakh people commit suicide in India every year. He said that people, who attempt suicide, often give various signs and signals. They talk about the suicide and sometimes they even make concrete plan for suicide. “Often our beliefs are based on the opinion of society rather than the facts and most of our negative thoughts arise because of cognitive distortion like magnifying the problem, minimizing the positive attributes of life, over-generalization,” Dr. Yadav said, adding that by increasing the gratitude towards life one can improve his mental health. He educated the gathering about few techniques of Cognitive Therapy. Approximately 120 students and various faculty members including the principal Prof. Inu Mehta along with faculty members of psychology section Dr. Nishat Afroz, Dr. Shilpa Kumari, Dr. Kavita Pandey and Dr. Naveen were present.
BHU organises a three-day academic enrichment programme: The department of French studies, Banaras Hindu University has organised a three-day 'Academic Enhancement Programme' at the Center for India Studies from September 9 to 11. Its main purpose is to discuss and improve the various aspects related to the study and teaching of the French language.