Mental health in times of crisis: online workshops by YICs
2021
Mental health in times of crisis: online workshops by YICs
Individuals experience and perceive crises in their own ways, even if these crises are universal and thus shared and experienced by others as well. Even though the current pandemic was a global phenomenon that affected the world, individuals perceived it each in/their own way and found different challenges and obstacles to overcome.
These situations can cause intense and negative emotions, such as fear and uncertainty, anxiety and sadness, anger, and irritability. Although all these emotions could be considered normal reactions to a difficult situation, the constant and prolonged exposure to these emotions can endanger a person’s mental health.
On the occasion of the European Youth Information Day on April 17th and in the framework of the European Youth Information and Counseling Agency (ERYICA) campaign, “Youth Info #mindmymind - Discover your inner self. Speak up”, the Youth Information Centers in Cyprus, organised a series of two online workshops entitled “Mental health in times of crisis”.
The aim of the workshops was to highlight the importance of preserving the notion of mental health and maintaining the emotional well-being of young people in this unprecedented period.
The workshops discussed, among other topics, the following:
How and in what ways, a difficult situation can affect the person mentally
When a negative emotion is typical and when not
Ways to recognise symptoms and accept emotions
Skills to normalise and manage negative emotions in times of crisis
