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Emotional and social wellbeing essential for mental health, say doctors
View(s):Lack of awareness and resources about Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Social Quotient (SQ) among schoolchildren are leading factors that lead to mental health issues, Consultant Community Physician and Acting Director, Mental Health Directorate of the Health Ministry, Dr. Lakmini Magodaratna said this week.
She underscored the importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ), which is the ability to recognise, use, understand, and manage emotions effectively.
Dr. Magodaratna said parents need to expose their children to a variety of arenas beyond academics in order to improve their social and emotional well-being, while parents themselves need self-awareness to help or be present in their children’s lives.
She said that sometimes, even when parents are always at hand, no effective communication happens between them and children. “The child is in a stormy sea and desperately craves an emotional anchor at home,” Dr. Magodaratna said. She recommends that parents practice self-awareness, self-reflection, and mindfulness as these will be assets in handling adolescents.
She added that a friendly approach by parents could go a long way in reducing mental problems among adolescents.
In Sri Lanka we have a programme called ‘Sati Pasala’ which educates children and adults to improve awareness, focus, and emotional well-being through mindfulness practice incorporated in daily life. Parents and children can benefit from such programmes.
The Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists’ President Dr. Sajeewana Amarasinghe added that “life becomes dark and joy goes out” when a person suffers from depression, a common mental ailment, symptoms of which can be loss of appetite, excessive sleep or sleep deprivation, changes in temper, irritability and physical symptoms. He added that an individual’s genetic or environmental factors, personality, coping skills and childhood adversity can lead to depression.
Senior Consultant Psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Pushpa Ranasinghe said that the1926 helpline is available to save and guide individuals with suicidal tendencies.
Meanwhile one international school in Colombo has implemented activities related to EQ and SQ in the curriculum such as mindfulness exercises, meditation, and reflective journaling to improve the ability to recognise, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, and to empathise with others.
In order to boost SQ, youths can make use of clubs and sports which teach them to respect others and fair play, building in them a sense of belonging and confidence.
Meanwhile, parents who notice a change in their children’s behaviour, whether symptoms of depression or any other related problem, should ensure 24-hour observation and if needed hospitalise them. Doctors are trained to handle such situations and guide parents.
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