Madadgaar is an organization which aims to bring tolerance and acceptance towards mental health problems. To help people we need to educate them first on this sensitive topic. Awareness about problem make people think about solutions. So Madadgaar team decided to conduct first workshop on panic attack and anxiety. We have chosen this topic to address because prevalence of anxiety and panic attack disorder range between 7%-50% in different cities of Pakistan. Women are most likely to experience the condition and it most commonly occurs when a person in early adulthood, from ages 18 to 25 years. Hence it’s need of time to invite people on open discussion and educate them properly.
Our team decided the date 9th July, 2019 for our workshop. Our guest speaker was Fatima Abbas, who is gold medalist in MS clinical and counselling Psychology. She is working as consultant clinical psychologist. The venue we chosen was Daftarkhwan office DHA. The atmosphere over there is very calm and offers interactive environment for such workshop. People from all walks of life registered for the session already and we were overwhelmed by response of people. Then we realized that how badly people need such platforms where mental help sessions are provided.
Our speaker Fatima Abbas started talking about anxiety and its symptoms in detail: Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling or shaking, sensations of shortness of breath or smothering, feelings of choking, chest pain or discomfort, nausea or abdominal distress, feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint, chills or heat sensations etc.
During it people asked relevant questions and conveyed their individual concerns to find their answers. Fatima Abbas was very patient towards them. She spoke about how panic sets in, how can we calm ourselves, how can we be relieved. She enlighten the difference between depression and anxiety as well.
Picture taken from anxiety workshop session.
We learned how to cope up with our worries and anxieties. At the end she talked about preventive measures and solutions. Relaxation exercise was also practiced under her supervision. Every one of us got a chance to speak up without fear of being judged. Coping mechanism were discussed as well.
At the end Madadgaar team gave donation box which was kind of mood indicator. It had two moods happy and sad. People were told to donate if they want to, in any of the part according to the way they feel after workshop.
Successful workshop enhanced our passion towards spreading awareness regarding mental health problems. It was Madadgaar’s first step towards our dream stigma free Pakistan as journey of thousand miles begins with only one step.
Madadgaar 