More than 100 teens from the Church of the Diviner Mercy participate in a mental health talk
By Herald Malaysia
Sep 12 2022
SHAH ALAM – The Form Three and Form Four students of the Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) attended a one-day session on mental health awareness, August 27.
Themed The Importance of Mental Health and Well-being in Adolescents, 135 students turned up to hear from the Archdiocesan Mental Health Ministry (AMHM).
Talks presented were on What is Mental Health by Jimmy Ong, Emotional Management by Vivian Lock, and Suicide Prevention by Warren Lee.
Jimmy explained having good mental health as, “being in a state of well-being and having the ability to cope with the normal stresses of life. Good mental health is not dictated by having wealth, fame or education but rather, by how one perceives his or her life. To do this, one must learn effective ways to balance one’s moods, emotions, and feelings, as well as being content, thus leading to some form of life satisfaction.
“Mental health is important because it generally improves the quality of life. Poor mental health is often associated with low self-esteem, relationship, physical health, and addiction problems. Thus, it is important to address stigma and discrimination so that people can seek help without judgment.”
The workshop on stress management and grounding techniques by Jimmy, Vivian, Warren, and Fr Philip was particularly useful as it provided students with practical tips in identifying mental health issues and managing their emotions.
Fr Philip Chua, the head of AMHM, also conducted a 30-minute session on Mindfulness and Meditation before the question and answer session. – Herald Malaysia
