COMMUNITY members in and around the Visale area, North Guadalcanal have been able to learn about the importance of mental health in an awareness last Sunday.
More than 400 people from the surrounding villages gathered at the Visale Catholic Mission Station to have a listen to the awareness program.
It was being conducted by Mary Marione from the Visale Parish and some of her colleagues who have attended a mental health workshop in Honiara.
The four main topics during the awareness program was mental, the ability to reason things, feel good about self, comfortable with others, and can cope with the demands of life.
Another topic is physical where one has to be in a good health status and level of activity, followed by social which includes the environment, families, friends, and finance. The final topic was spiritual, where one has to have a meaning and direction in life, belief systems and values as well as faith.
Speaking to the people during the awareness, Mrs Marione explained to them about the differences of mental health and mental illness.
“This is what most people in the rural communities of Solomon Islands are quite confused about.”
She also told them that a healthy brain leads to a healthy being and a healthy community and nation.
“It is a need for us to promote mental health.
“This way, it will help us to teach our people about the importance of a healthy being.
“If all of us have a healthy mentality, then our communities will also be healthy,” Mrs Marione said.
Meanwhile, she said that it is a concern for the communities of this country to be well aware of the importance of mental health so there is a need for wider awareness to be conducted.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
