Prof. Shekhar Seshadri

Prof. Shekhar Seshadri

Prof. Shekhar P Seshadri is a child psychiatrist with over 35 years of experience in the field of child mental health. As Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NIMHANS, his work extends beyond the clinical population to children and child care institutions/service providers across the country as well as the South Asia region. Some of his special areas of interest in child mental health are childhood trauma, gender and sexuality issues and life skill education. Also, an artist and musician, he uses a number of creative methodologies in child mental health interventions including theatre and developmental approaches.

Session

Future of mental health

From individual suffering to collective action
The pandemic has wreaked havoc with our mental health – the impasse of isolation, anxiety fear, overwhelming grief at the loss of people close to us, and grieving families unable to get a sense of closure has made all us live on edge clutching at straws and craving mental equilibrium. It does appear that we will be living in relative isolation long after the current waves are over as no one knows when the coronavirus will weaken its sting. This conversation will look at concrete ways for us to get out of a deepening mental morass in the medium and longer term and shed light on how crippling anxiety is affecting the overall health of populations across continents.