School students can write in their own words how they are coping with the lockdown and participate in an essay-writing competition.

Indian Psychiatric Society and Kshema Trust, Shimoga, Karnataka, has launched an essay competition on “Minding our minds during the lockdown” for students of classes VIII to XII. “Students are stuck at home. This can have an impact on them and writing about it might help express their anxieties and fears,” said Gautam Saha, vice-president-cum-president (elect) of Indian Psychiatric Society.

“In counselling, we often use creative tools such as painting or writing to bring out what is in the unconscious mind. Rather than adults advising, they can come up with their own solutions,” psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram said.

The essays can be mailed to communitypsychiatryips@gmail.com by April 20. Students must mention their name, class, place and attach a copy of the school ID.