An inter-school fest was organised to raise awareness about mental health and help students identify “invisible signs” that might suggest one needs help.

The Heritage School organised the psychology fest in an attempt to dispel the stigma attached to mental illness and encourage students to be more open about seeking help, instead of brushing such problems under the carpet.

“Students should be able to talk about it (mental problems) more openly and seek counselling if need be. Often children are not sure why they are feeling different or low. The signs are not as visible as when they are physically sick, and hence cannot be pinpointed,” said Seema Sapru, the principal of the school.

“But if they know about those invisible signs, they will be able to identify them and approach teachers, parents or counsellors.”

Awareness about mental health is important because it continues to remain a taboo topic among parents and, at times even among teachers.

It was a Class XII student, Samriddhi Kasat, who approached the principal to organise the fest, called “Psyquest”.

“Class XII students are under a lot of stress because of exam pressure, the pressure of competitive exams and the need to choose the right career, but many of them cannot handle all of it and give in,” said Samriddhi.

Sapru said a survey conducted in the school found that close to 500 students register for an appointment with the counsellor in a full working month.

“It’s a positive sign because it means there is more awareness about mental health and well-being,” the principal said.

Students of Classes X to XII from 12 schools participated in the fest on November 14.

Among the events at the fest was Mental Reelity, in which participants had to choose a mental illness and make a one-minute film on it.

Theraplay, another event, featured an interaction between a patient and a therapist. The patient described the symptoms and the therapist diagnosed the disorder.

Psychiatrist Abir Mukherjee, who inaugurated the inter-school fest, said it was “path-breaking and commendable” for a school to organise such an event.

“It is commendable also because it was done for senior students. They will be able to understand (the problems) better,” Mukherjee said.

“Signs of mental illness in children are different from that of adults. If adults, for example, are depressed, they will have the usual symptoms such as low self-esteem, helplessness and hopelessness. But a child grappling with mental illness may present some of these symptoms, along with irritability, aggressive behaviour, deterioration in academic performance and others,” said Mukherjee.

“A fest will help raise awareness about the importance of mental health not just among children but also among adults. If children are familiar with the symptoms, they might be able to identify them if they feel something similar. Equally, teachers who often misconstrue a student’s behaviour as laziness or lack of motivation would be able to understand them better.”