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Watch Mr.Vatsyayan on Doordarshan National Channel on "Mann Ki Baat"

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Dear Suneel Vatsayan,
 
We wish to express our heartfelt thanks for taking your valuable time out from your busy schedule to be our guest expert at the studio for the recording of the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode for Doordarshan.  Your informed contribution and personal inputs would only add to the richness to the content of our program.  

With your continued support we hope to get our messages on mental health issues across to millions of households.   Doordarshan is resuming telecast of Mann Ki Baat series from 5th May onwards on DD National channel every Saturday at 8.30 a.m., to be retelecast every Monday at 8.30 a.m.  Your episode’s telecast tentative date is 23.06.2012 on Caregiver's Stress.

 Thanks once again.

Warm Regards,

Sujatha and Avdesh Sharma
Mind Vision Enter MANN KI BAAT

Series focuses on Contemporary Psychosocial Mental Health Issues

‘Mann Ki Baat’- Doordarshan’s series on psychosocial and mental health issues is being telecast from 5th May onwards on DD National channel every Saturday at 8.30 a.m., to be retelecast every Monday at 8.30 a.m.

The content for the series has been developed by Dr. Sujatha D. Sharma, a clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience who has also scripted several other television series on mental health in the past.  Dr. Avdesh Sharma, an eminent psychiatrist is the Director and Expert anchor of the series. Dr. Avdesh Sharma has anchored and directed numerous health programs for the electronic media for over 30 years. Ms. Kanupriya, a well known media personality for nearly two decades, is the Anchor of the series.

About 1/4th of the population can suffer from a mental illness once in their lifetime and about 10% suffer from psychological distress at any given time. The psychosocial and interpersonal problems on day-to-day basis affect us all, reducing efficiency and causing untold emotional burden. The need is not only to overcome negative states but promote positive mental health for individuals, family and society.  Caring for our mind is our greatest responsibility to ourselves. 

Today, we are increasingly aware of the psychological havoc created by pressures in our lives due to breakdown of social norms, increasing competitiveness, degradation of moral and ethical values and loss of faith in human relationships.  The results are there to see – stressed out individuals with chaotic life styles, struggling to cope and feeling helpless and alienated in their own homes, families and communities. 

The number of trained mental health professionals in the country is only around 7000 to 8000 (about four thousand psychiatrists, three to four thousand trained clinical psychologists and social workers) whereas the actual need (as estimated by World Health Organization) is about 100000.  These professionals are also mostly located in the metros and cities and involved largely in the treatment of severe psychiatric illnesses.  The need of the hour is to reach the masses, to all age groups, from varied backgrounds, not only for reduction of distress but also promotion of mental health.

It is thus so crucial and important to recognize early signs of psychological distress and address them immediately through self-help or seeking outside help.  Better still would be for a person to talk over, share and communicate his or her feelings, conflicts, problems or dilemmas with others around, who are sympathetic listeners and caring well wishers. This way, an emerging psychological problem can be addressed in a timely manner and resolved early.  Television, especially Doordarshan, with mandate for social change through infotainment is the best way to make a difference.

Mann Ki Baat offers the platform to create awareness for mental health issues – both the ordinary ones that affect our daily lives and the not so ordinary one that may not directly affect us but someone we know or care for. 

The issues taken up as stand alone episodes are varied – they cover problems of the elderly; psychological distress related to trauma & accidents; coping with disabilities, chronic illness and care-giving.  The topics include – Aggression, Road Rage, Psychological Aspects of Accidents,  Coping with Trauma and Disasters, Bereavement, Occupational Stress and Burnout, Disabilities and Mental Health, Coping with Chronic Illnesses, Caregiver’s stress, Aging and Mental Health, Memory Impairment and  Dementia, Elder Abuse, Gender Discrimination, Single Parenting, Adoption etc.  The series would subsequently take up special areas of children and adolescents within family and in the society; managing emotions and positive mental health.

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Avdesh Sharma
Dr. Sujatha D. Sharma
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