As part of the World Suicide Prevention Day observed on 10 September every year, the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Heritage (PPSH) organised an awareness session on suicide prevention for the students of classes 11 and 12 of Chinmaya VIdyalaya, Vaduthala. The theme of the session was ‘Take a Minute, Change a Life—Understanding Suicide and it’s Prevention’. The session was held on 25 September 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The five final-year M.Sc. Psychology students who facilitated the session are Anjitha Radhakrishnan, Azana Joe, Adithyan Rajeev, Indumathi K., and K. M. Haritha.
The session covered a range of essential topics, including understanding the causes of suicide, debunking myths, and discussing the emotional and social impact on others. It also addressed the phenomenon of copycat suicide, presented important statistics and research data, and provided guidance on effective communication—what to say and what not to say when helping someone with suicidal thoughts. The session further explored various ways to seek professional help and introduced techniques for emotion management and relaxation. Engaging activities on cognitive remediation and fear management were incorporated, with an affirmation chit distributed to all students as a positive takeaway.