While presiding over the World Mental Health Day Function held at Himachal Hospital for Mental Health and Rehabilitation here today, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that it was essential to help younger generation to build mental resilience in order to cope with the challenges of today’s world. This would not only help in improving adolescent’s health but also strengthening our economy.Jai Ram Thakur said that there was need for involvement of the society to raise awareness among adolescents and young adults of ways to look after their mental health. He said that childhood behavioural disorder was the sixth leading cause of disease burden among adolescents and repetition of such behaviour might lead to hyper active and destructive behaviour.He said that drug abuse had emerged as a global problem and our nation and state were no exception due to the stress on younger generation. He said that joint and earnest efforts were required for curbing this social vice. He said that on his initiative a meeting was held at Chandigarh where Chief Ministers of four neighbouring states and officers from three other states participated to chalk out a joint strategy to curb this social vice.Jai Ram Thakur said that the students and youths should be targeted specifically while chalking out any strategy for checking its global problem. The awareness regarding ill effects of drug abuse could be spread especially in morning assemblies of schools.
He said that Buddy system could also be launched in the colleges to identify students trapped in drug abuse and special focus should be laid on rehabilitation of drug addicts. For this, training to doctors, counsellors and other para-medical staff must be ensured for professionally manning de-addiction and rehabilitation centres. He said that more rehabilitation centres would be established in the State.The Chief Minister administered oath of de-addiction to the students on the occasion. He also launched the website of the hospital and went around the hospital and interacted with the indoor patients admitted there.Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said that it was unfortunate that cut throat competition was resulting in stress on minds of the younger generation. He said the younger people, particularly the teenage students were more prone to stress due to pressure to perform better in studies.Director, Health Dr. Baldev Thakur said that about 45 crore people worldwide were suffering with mental stress and mental. Principal IGMC, Shimla Dr. Ravi Chand Sharma said that mental disorder was like any other disease and should be treated as such.Senior Medical Officer Dr. Sanjay Pathak also spoke on the occasion.Mayor Kusum Sadrate, Director Medical Education Dr. Ashok Sharma, Principal Government Dental College Shimla Dr. Ajay Chauhan Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashayap, Superintendent of Police Omapati Jamwal, students of various schools of the Shimla town were present on the occasion among others.