Two-day ‘Application of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy in Clinical Settings’, inaugurated at KMC Attavar
Mangaluru: The Two-day workshop on the “Application of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy in Clinical Settings”, was inaugurated at Susrutha Hall, KMC Hospital Attavar here on April 6.
The programme began with an invocation. Professor and HOD, Department of Psychiatry Dr Keshav Pai welcomed the gathering.
The programme was inaugurated by the Medical Superintendent and Unit Head at KMC Hospitals, Dr Anand Venugopal by lighting the traditional lamp along with other dignitaries on the dais.
In his keynote address, Associate Professor of Department of Clinical Psychology Dr Dinesh N said, “Recent decades have witnessed a significant transformation in the age old cognitive behavior tradition in psychotherapy. Depression in adolescence is increasing remarkably. According to NIMHANS survey which was conducted in October 2016, nearly 1.5% of the population is under depression of which around 2.2% youth are in depression which is very high. Generally, depression in females is more, but in adolescence, it is more in males than in females. The age group of 18 – 22 is highest and that is the most productive age of our life. If a person is significantly affected by depression at this age, it will affect his future since it is the time to decide about his/her life. A person is literally handicap if he is depressed during this age. We need to be very careful during this period and do everything possible to avoid depression.”
Dr Dinesh further said, “The stress link to education and parental pressure leads to depression in adolescence. The interpersonal relationship also is one of the cause. The 20th century was described as the era of Anxiety. In 2010, the beginning of the century, 18% Americans were anxious and 20 million were affected by depression. Surprisingly 46.3 million prescriptions of Xanax was prescribed in a year. Last month, WHO released the number of people living under depression increase by more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. We can describe this decade as that of Anxiety and depression because Anxiety and depression are twin sisters that have affected us.”
He further said, “Stress is from many domains such as the impact of technology, complexity of life, complex relationships, the breakdown of family support and challenges of economic instability. These are the reasons for depression. We have got the option of treatment but the best treatment for this is meditation. According to Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness can be defined as paying attention in a particular way on purpose in a present moment and non-judgmentally. Mindfulness is not a state of doing but a state of being in which you are fully aware of the present moment and do not evaluate your inner or outer environment. Mindfulness is a state of self-regulation of your attention and the ability to direct it towards breathing, eating, or something else. Curiosity, openness, and acceptance are all part of being mindful”.
Dr Anand delivered the presidential address. Organizing Secretary Sujith Babu delivered the vote of thanks. Dr Ashwini Pundeer, Dr Soniya Vats, Organizing Treasurer Mariella D’Souza and others were also present.