Std. XII Session with Dr.Murthy

A self care session organised on June 28, 29 and 30 in Sophia High School was conducted by Sophia alumni, Dr. Pratima Murthy, Professor and the Head of the Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS. This session was exclusively for Std XII students.

Doctor’s presence created a moment of calm to rest our anxious minds.It was a specific call to make our mental health a priority during these uncertain times exacerbated by the pandemic.Fear and anxiety about the new disease and its possible impact have been overwhelming and causing strong emotions in everyone.

Dr. Prathima, very patiently addressed our issues and calmed our troubled minds. We are so grateful to her for being approachable and for allowing us to pour out the problems that plague us.Being in the 12th grade, this was not how we had envisioned our year panning out.

The session gave us insight on how to have a positive outlook on life regardless of circumstances and to always look at the glass as half full.The spread of the virus cannot be mitigated for now, but the anticipatory fear it instigates can be tempered. Her tips on how to introspect and thereby cope with what we are going through, shall keep us in good stead during this lockdown period.

She helped us learn how to manage our anxious minds by taking some time out for ourselves, for self reflection and self care. She recommended healthy activities to engage our minds, including exercise and proper sleep schedules, to ensure that we are able to emerge with fresher and healthier versions of us everyday.

As teenagers, we have a tendency to spend an unhealthy amount of time on social media and through this session, we were met with the realisation that we must limit our screen time and overall exposure to electronic devices, especially before we sleep in order to calm ourselves and be able to rest our mind and body, more effectively.

The session taught us many important things, but a recurring aspect of how to address problems and issues, was by reinstating the fact that we were not alone in the way we felt, thereby securing the validation of our feelings during these trying times and making us feel less alone and more like a community.

The kind doctor helped us understand that while the protocol of sanitizers and masks are very important, it is nothing compared with the daily routinethat we must maintain, of cleansing the baggage in one’s own mind. She showed us that more sunlight, more candor, more unashamed conversation is the key to improving our mental health.

For this eye opening session, we are thankful to our Principal, Sr. Alpana,and our teachers, for being so thoughtful about our well being, that is why we always say with conviction that Sophia is our home.