Coronavirus: Online motivational meetings help those suffering from depression, anxiety

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 14

ICAR-sponsored project Utshah is coming to the rescue of those in panic because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are helping people who are experiencing bouts of depression, anxiety, neurosis, hopelessness, heightened suicidal ideation,” said Dr Sarabjeet Singh, Principal Investigator, Utshah, who is a professor at PAU.

It started as an online motivational meeting on ZOOM app on March 23. The objective was to control panic and keep students, farmers, and general masses motivated and full of hope. “While people were distributing langar, ration to the needy, we started distributing seeds of hope to make the masses resilient and help them take care of their mental health,” said Dr Singh.

Initially when the lockdown started, the Utshah meeting was held once a day and later the frequency was increased to twice a day for one hour each. The 96th meeting was held on May 12 with more than 200 volunteers. Right from the start, issues like positive psychology, health and hygiene, spirituality, simple living, taming the mind, fighting over-thinking, cultivating virtues, skill enhancement, adjusting to the changing work culture, devotional singing, connecting to scriptures, Japanese concepts like KAISEN and IKIGAI have been discussed in detail. The participants are occasionally briefed about the precautions to be taken at home and while going outside.

Till now, 23 assignments (home works) have been given which include making a list of books at home, cleaning electricity switch boards, dish washing by male members, SWOT analysis, writing creative inspiring poems on current situations, building team spirit, rational and scientific thinking etc. The main idea was keeping the Utshah volunteers busy in constructive pursuits. As Dr Singh said: “Busy is blessed. All were asked to identify their relatives, friends, neighbours who could be prone to distress. They were encouraged to talk to them, listen to their woes, encourage them. Talking is healing.” 

Volunteers not only from across Punjab but also from UP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana and from countries like France, Italy, the US, Canada and Australia have become regular members of this unique online class that has been helping the participants tune out stress and engage in constructive pursuits. Sumandeep from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, said, “We almost forgot the deadly and dreaded thoughts of corona and were so much involved in the positive pursuits.”