Media Release
Mangaluru, Aug 21: A workshop, 'Freedom from drugs, drinks and depression' was held at Kinnigoli church parish hall on Sunday, August 20.
The workshop was organised by Parish Family Council and ICYM in association with Ian Cares Foundation. MCC Bank Ltd and CASK (Canara Association of South Kanara) were the supporting sponsors.
Dr Laveena Noronha, director, Ave Maria Palliative Care and Coordinator Suicide Prevention Group and Prof Dr Surfraz Hashim, principal of PA First Grade College, Mangauru and a psychiatrist and specialist in 'Mind Maping' were the resource persons.
During a brief stage programme the parish priest, Immaculate Conception Church Kinnigoli Fr Faustine Lobo welcomed and thanked the resource persons and he started that awareness on the consumption of alcoholic substances and their consequences is the need of hour. He expressed his pleasure in getting two experts to talk on the topic and said it will immensely benefit more than 350 people gathered for the workshop.
Dr Laveena explained the reasons why so many people are committing suicide. She said they are not 'cowards' as per general perception, but they are courageous even to die and lose their own life. She said the youngest to commit suicide is a three year old child. The audience were so dumbstruck to listen to certain data presented by her as part of increasing number of suicides around the world.
Prof Dr Surfraz Hashim spoke on the power and capacity of the human mind, conscious and subconscious mind, and demonstrated how the human mind can be controlled and trained by us. He conducted a live demonstration and showed how the youngsters’ whole body can be made stiff by controlling his mind. It was a thrilling experience to all those present in the workshop. Dr Surfraz also demonstrated certain skills as part of physical exercise and showed how to supply blood and oxygen to the brain.
Both the talks followed with a debate wherein both the resource persons attended to teenagers queries.
Hemacharya, managing trustee of Ian Cares Foundation, assistant parish priests, parish council members among others were present.
Edna D'Souza and Shaila Aranha were the main coordinators of this workshop that started with a sumptuous breakfast. The leaflets and bookmarks on 'suicide prevention' were distributed to the audience.
Sara Mathias from ICYM proposed the vote of thanks.