Mysuru: Marking World Mental Health Day, District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Mysore Bar Association and Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) together had organised a programme at K.R. Hospital premises here yesterday.

The theme of the Day was ‘Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention.’ Resource persons Dr. B.N. Ravish, Head, Department of Psychiatry, K.R. Hospital and Advocate N. Sunder Raj briefed the gathering on mental health programmes.

Inaugurating the programme,  Principal District and Sessions Judge S.K. Vontigodi contended that mental health was very important today as it would have a direct impact on physical health. 

He observed that students ignore mental health and added that children should be groomed by parents to socialise with visitors to houses instead of remaining glued to smartphones.

He said that youngsters greet each other through texting and not in person. He regretted that  suicidal tendency was gradually increasing among youngsters not to exclude even celebrities, the reason being poor mental heath.

DLSA Member-Secretary B.P. Devamane disclosed that death by accidents was less than that by suicides which is an alarming trend, need to be put to rest. He advised people not to fall prey to TV astrologers. He contended that the gap between reality and expectation should be minimum for a balanced mental health.

ZP CEO K. Jyothi, District Health Officer Dr. R. Venkatesh, DCP B.T. Kavitha, MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. Nanjaraj, K.R. Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Nanjundaswamy, District Surgeon Dr. B. Basavaraj and others were present.