The ‘Stress Management: Adapting to the New Norm’ event was organised by IMU Mind Matters Club and IMU Cares in conjunction with World Mental Health Day. Conducted on the 9th of October, from 4pm to 5pm, this event was joined by two guest speakers, Professor Dr. Philip George and Professor Marc Archer.

This event aimed to acknowledge the various struggles people have been facing amidst the pandemic, enlighten participants on the difficulties in addressing youth mental health and highlight to participants the importance of self-care.

The event was started off by the emcee of the day, Asini, with a brief welcome speech and introduction to our guest speakers of the day: Professor Dr Philip George, who is the Head of Psychiatry at IMU, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Addiction Specialist, and Associate Professor Marc Archer, Director at the Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and an Associate Professor for the Department of Psychology at HELP University. After the introduction, the floor was passed to our guest speakers.

The event began with a brief introduction to what exactly mental health is, and how the current pandemic has affected it. Professor Dr Philip George and Professor Marc Archer both talked about how the current pandemic has introduced a new set of standard operating procedures to ensure everyone’s safety, but along with it came a new set of problems such as loneliness and financial strain. These are a few reasons why mental health has taken a nosedive during the pandemic. Nonetheless, it was also highlighted that there were some positive stories that came from this pandemic, such as how the people united to help those in need.

Another important topic brought up in this event was what issues fell under our control and what didn’t. The importance of taking care of oneself was highlighted as well. As a result of the pandemic, many people have been experiencing a lot of fear due to unforeseen threats and uncertainties. In this event, tips on how to deal with threats and uncertainties were given. The event ended with a short Q&A session before things were wrapped up.

Mind Matters Network would like to extend its gratitude to Professor Dr. Philip George and Professor Marc Archer for their participation.