Workshop on Drug Awareness and Psychological Aid by CBE in association with Lourdes Central School

Mangaluru: In the Silver Jubilee Year of Lourdes Central School, a day’s workshop was organized by the Catholic Board of Education for Pre-University lecturers at LCS on 4-11-2023. The topic of the workshop was “Types of Drugs and Their Effects, Rehabilitation, and Psychological First Aid.” There were 140 participants from 10 different institutions under the aegis of CBE. The program started with a prayer song, followed by the lighting of the lamp.

The Principal of Lourdes Central School Rev. Fr Robert D’Souza welcomed the gathering. Rev. Fr Antony Shera, Secretary, Catholic Board of Education, delivered the keynote address and introduced the guest speakers. Rev. Fr Leo Praveen Lasrado, Secretary Designate, CBE, graced the occasion with his presence.

In the first session, the resource person, Dr. Hareesh Gowda, Professor and Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine, Father Muller Medical College, gave an insight into drugs, the types and effects of these, and sensitized the audience about the ill effects of drug abuse. The role of teachers in preventing drug abuse among students, ways to help them come out of this menace, and the legal aspects of drug administration were the topics of discussion.

Ms Lydia Lobo, Director, Link International Rehabilitation Centre, briefed about rehabilitation and the various rehabilitation services. She affirmed that most therapies aim to stop or reduce the use of drugs and alcohol. She also narrated her experiences of encountering drug addicts and bringing them back to life.

Mr Mark and Dr. Anirudh shared their experiences with rehabilitation services and how they helped them restore their normal lives.

Fr Arun Lobo, Director, Diocesan Counseling Center, was one of the speakers for the afternoon session. He created awareness about psychological first aid and its significance as it reduces stress symptoms and assists in a healthy recovery from depression, anxiety, suicidal tendencies, etc. He also spoke on the challenges facing youth and the role of teachers in solving the problems of students.

Dr Lavina Noronha, Director, Ave Maria Palliative Care, addressed the gathering on the topic of suicide awareness and intervention and said that awareness and intervention aim to reduce the intensity of an individual’s emotional, mental, physical, and behavioral reactions to a crisis and help individuals return to their level of functioning before the crisis.

The workshop ended at 4 p.m. with a concluding message by Rev. Fr Antony Shera, followed by the distribution of certificates for the participants. The vote of thanks was delivered by Ms. Sharmila Colaco. The whole program was compered by Ms. Deepa DSouza. This one-day workshop was really insightful and informative.