October 10 was World Mental Health Day. Its goal is to draw public attention to the problems associated with a person's mental state, to support people who need willpower and character in difficult times to cope with life's challenges.
This year in Ukraine, the emphasis is on everyday ways to maintain a psycho-emotional state under the general idea of "Touches of Support".
Mental health is a state of well-being in which a person realizes his or her potential, can effectively withstand life stresses, work productively, and make a significant contribution to social life.
On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, humanitarian hubs/centers established for residents of Donetsk Oblast in the safe regions of Ukraine held a number of useful events for children and adults, providing practical exercises, interesting recommendations; frank communication, namely:
- events, information hours "The Power of Warm Actions", "Touches of Support. Lessons of empathy", "Taking care of yourself is a step towards harmony", "The power of warm actions: touch, conversation, the feeling of "I am near", "Helping yourself under stress", "Mental health of a person. Recovery and self-preservation techniques", "Therapeutic film studio", "Mental health: how to maintain it?", "Everything is in our hands";
- trainings "Me and my emotions", "Introduction to the therapeutic toy Hibuki", "Stress resistance", "Help yourself and others: how to create days that bring happiness", "Primary self-help skills", "I am a superhero of my mood", "Thought, emotion, action", "How are you? Prevention of mental health";
- discussions "I care about my health", "Supporting mental health during the war";
- classes on meditative and intuitive drawing, drawing affirmation pictures, mandala therapy, aromatherapy, Hibuki therapy;
- art therapeutic activities "Mental Health is the Key to Success", "Mental Health Master", "Art Affirmation", "Art Therapy for the Soul. Painting with colors".
- master classes "Hearts", "Grimaces".
Art therapy, mandala therapy, and meditative drawing classes help to cope with anger, frustration, fear, and difficult emotions.
Aromatherapy allows you to relax to a soothing scent that has a positive effect on a person's state, reduces agitation and irritability.
Psychological trainings teach people to maintain resilience and mental balance in difficult situations, relieve psychophysical stress and emotional deprivation.
More than 2 thousand visitors of the humanitarian hubs/centers attended the events, learned a lot of useful and interesting information and, despite the difficulties, continue to move forward with mental health care and exploration of their inner world.
Humanitarian hubs/centers are not only about helping IDPs. It's about humanity, care, those sincere moments when there is always someone nearby whose "touch of support" will lovingly say: "You are not alone. You will succeed".
Be mentally healthy! Together to inner harmony!