As we head into yet another month under the shadow of the pandemic, the conversations surrounding mental health have increased. Quite recently, the world of sports was forced to reckon with mental health of sportspersons through the examples of Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles. Social media influencers such as @justme.rod shed focus on the topic in creative ways. Mental health of children, youth and adults alike is now being discussed in popular news shows. From when we started LonePack, five years ago to now, this increased engagement surrounding the topic of mental health is heartening to see. And, we feel we had a small but significant part to play in it.
Through the Looking Glass
For five years now, LonePack has been involved in many initiatives with the sole focus of “shattering the stigma surrounding mental health”. Our work has gone through many churns and transformations during the time. Here are a few of the highlights.
Mental Health Contest
As we constantly explore new avenues to discuss the topic of mental health and aim at increasing the reach of our content, we announced the mental health reels contest asking for Instagram reel submissions from our followers talking about mental health in creative ways. And, boy, did they deliver…
From the Blog
As September 10 is recognized as World Suicide Prevention Day aimed at “providing worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides“. Here is a blog article from one of our writers focussing on this difficult topic.
Recognizing the warning signs of Suicide in people & helping them
“Rather than jumping to conclusion that they need to be taken to a psychiatrist/ counsellor, the easiest thing that can be done is to be there for the person in distress. This would involve just being present, letting them know that you are there to help if they need and most importantly there is someone if they want to talk.”
If you or anyone you know if suffering from suicidal thoughts, kindly contact emergency mental health services immediately.
Highlights
In some exciting news,
LonePack x BITS MUN Goa have announced India’s first mental health Innovation challenge open to everyone. You can find the details here.
We are looking to recruit design experts with experience of Canva or a similar platform. Kindly reach out to engage@lonepack.org with your queries or to apply for the post.
Listen to this interesting episode of our podcast series, LonePack Conversations which talks about Role of media in mental health awareness and suicide prevention ft Tanmoy Goswami.
From the Internet
Josh And Mash Project Foundation Collaborate To Launch #YuvaJosh Challenge
"We at MASH are committed to empower social purpose organisations and leverage the 'josh' of youth of India to create much needed impact in our society. Our partnership with Josh is a great example of how new-age content platforms could spread awareness and bring together like-minded organisations and create a bigger impact through collective efforts," said Aashish Beergi, Co-founder & CEO, MASH Project Foundation.
Follow LonePack on Josh app.
Inclusive Incubation – Towards a New Dawn
Earlier this year, the InfoEdge Centre for Entrepreneurship at Ashoka University was selected by the UNDP to design and deliver a unique and first-in-India incubation programme which would support innovative solutions for LGBTI Livelihoods and Gender Equality.
Global Suicide Deaths Up By Nearly 20K: Covid-19 Pandemic Exacerbates Risk Factors
A survey by smart-tech-enabled preventive healthcare platform GOQii also revealed that 43 per cent of Indians are dealing with depression triggered by COVID-19 pandemic.
Bengaluru-based Suicide Prevention India Foundation (SPIF)'s study 'Covid-19 Blues', also revealed that an increasing number of people, particularly youth, are showing suicidal tendencies post the Covid-19 outbreak.
LonePack Buddy is here to support your mental health during this difficult time. Start the conversation today.