CHITHRA Don Bosco – Community awareness at Don Bosco Degree College

CHITHRA Don Bosco, Chitradurga, organized a Community Awareness Programme on Mental Health for students at Don Bosco Degree College on 8 October 2026. A total of 150 students participated in the programme. The session was facilitated by Ms. Rakshitha, MINDS Project Counsellor and Mr. Divakar, MINDS Project Coordinator of CHITHRA Don Bosco.

Ms. Rakshitha explained the importance of mental health in students’ daily lives and overall development. She highlighted how mental well-being influences emotions, thoughts, behaviour, academic performance, relationships and decision-making. Students were encouraged to express their feelings openly, maintain positive relationships, develop healthy habits and seek professional support whenever they experience emotional difficulties or mental distress.

The resource persons discussed the common causes of stress among students, including academic pressure, examinations, family expectations, peer pressure and personal challenges. They explained practical strategies for managing stress, such as proper time management, regular physical exercise, adequate sleep, relaxation techniques, positive thinking and maintaining a healthy balance between studies and personal life. Students were encouraged to approach challenges with a positive attitude and seek guidance from trusted individuals when necessary.

The session also focused on mobile phone addiction and its impact on students’ physical and mental well-being. Mr. Divakar explained how excessive mobile phone use, social media engagement, online gaming and prolonged screen time can affect concentration, sleep patterns, academic performance and interpersonal relationships. Students were encouraged to develop healthy digital habits by limiting unnecessary screen time, avoiding mobile phone use before bedtime, taking regular screen breaks and engaging in outdoor activities, hobbies and face-to-face interactions.