PSY Forum Events

The Department of Psychology organized a field-based extension programme by visiting Yencourage Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre, Mangaluru on Saturday, 24th February 2024. Thirty final year BA students of Psychology visited the centre from 10 am to 12:15 pm. The visit provided an opportunity to observe the facilities, activities and treatment approaches used at the Centre.

Upon arrival at the centre, we were warmly welcomed by Mrs Sowmya Puthran, (psychologist & supervisor) Mrs Shweta Shetty and Ms Anjana Joy (psychiatric social worker). The students were ushered into the seminar room and informed about the setting up of the centre in the year 2019, the functionality of the centre and daycare activities such as candle making, pottery, handmade bags etc.

Facilities and activities:
The Centre has maintained an open space with abundant plant life, where patients contribute by taking care of plants and feeding the birds. The Centre also makes sure that the patient participates in morning exercise, yoga and meditation sessions. The Centre provides facilities like stitching classes, vocational training, sheltered workshop training, etc.

Patient demographics:
At the time of visit, there were 14+ patients admitted and one patient attending the day care program. There are single rooms available for patients requiring individualized care.

Patient cases:
Dr. Rajesh Mithur, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry led the Roshnites towards understanding psychopathological conditions. During the visit to the ward, we encountered five patients with different mental health conditions.

One patient aged around 50 years was suffering from visual hallucinations, where the patient could hear a voice saying that it could harm her. The patient has been suffering from chronic Schizophrenia and she has been receiving treatment for over 10 years.

Another patient was a 13 year old adolescent suffering from pseudo hallucinations. The patient has been suffering for the past three years and since the last four months, has not consumed food. He can hear a voice telling him to kill his family and sometimes he suddenly falls, is mute (no communication) and it’s been 13 days that he entered the Centre with improved communication skills presently.

Another patient aged around 30 years who completed MD in clinical naturopathy was suffering from delusions, where he says that he is suffering from depression, anxiety, and allergic to non-vegetarian food, ground nuts, ice creams, cashews, and many more things. He is unable to stay in one occupation for more than three days, has been jobless for the past three years and last year he has spent his days and nights on the streets begging food from strangers. It has been one month since he came to the centre.

The students met a 60 year old daycare patient who had met with a road traffic accident, where a part of the brain was removed by his neurosurgeon. He is an owner of a famous hotel suffering from hallucinations that his wife is trying to harm him.
Additionally, we encountered a patient aged around 23 years, suffering from schizophrenia, hallucination and delusion, who was an intelligent student throughout his school, but failed in his law final year because of his mental condition. He shows aggressive behaviour towards others.

Sessions and staff:
Following our exploration of the centre, we returned to the seminar room for information sessions. Dr Rajesh Mithur give detailed information about patients and conditions that they are suffering from. Mrs Sowmya Puthran also mentioned of the various psychological assessment tools namely about different tests they conduct for their patients such as block design test, picture arrangement test, object assembly test etc.

The professionalism, empathy and dedication of all the four professionals whom we met namely Dr Rajesh Mithur (Asst. Professor in Psychiatry), Mrs Sowmya Puthran (psychologist), Ms Anjana Joy (psychiatric social worker), and Mrs Shweta Shetty (coordinator) is commendable.

The visit to Yencourage Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre offered valuable knowledge of the inclusive care provided to patients with mental health conditions. The calming environment provides a healing space for mental repose, revival and personal growth. The Centre focuses on various activities, therapy and medication management besides ensuring a comprehensive approach to treatment. The commitment of the staff, the diverse interventions employed, and the efforts to create an understanding environment for patients contribute to the Centre’s overall success in promoting mental well-being. This visit offered a short-term experiential education towards understanding psychopathology. It opened a vista of career choices for budding psychologists to make shortly.

-Reported by Washima Banu (III BA)