By Augustine Singh
Madurai: Proper use of technology is a must for mental health.
This was stressed on September 21, the first of day three-day Conference of Catholic Psychologists of India (CCPI).
The conference’s annual meeting is addressing the role of psychology in the contemporary technological world.
“There is a need for redefining space and time, at the age when the rapid change in the field of technology taking place. Means of communication and interaction among people in different sectors happen through varied gadgets. Hence, the appropriate knowledge and use of technology is a must for any mental health professional,” said Dr. S. John Michael Raj, (Retired), head of the Head of the Department of Psychology, University of Coimbatore, in his inaugural address.
The meet at Pillar Institute of Lay Leadership, Animation, and Research, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is attended by 120 delegates. CCPI has more than 300 members spread all over India.
Conference president Salesian Father Joseph Cherukunnel said they have chosen the “’Role of Psychology in the Contemporary Technological World” as the theme of their 19 annual meeting.
“Psychologists offering mental health services get an opportunity to update share and interact with each other annually,” he said.
Dr. Annalakshmi Narayani, professor, Department of Psychology, Coimbatore University, highlighted the adverse effects of technology on different age-group.
“Today children play with a machine, not with children. Social skills hampered. Eventually, in adulthood issues like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Narcissistic disorder. Therefore, psychologists need to be creative enough to address effective manner the technology related concerns of clients in this millennium,” he added.
The OCD is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that trigger intensely distressing feelings.
ADHD is a disorder that makes it difficult for a person to pay attention and control impulsive behaviors. He or she may also be restless and almost constantly active. ADHD is not just a childhood disorder. Although the symptoms of ADHD begin in childhood, ADHD can continue through adolescence and adulthood.
The CCPI began as an initiative of the Salesian Psychological Association in 2000. Since then Catholic psychologists gather every year for an annual conference, with a particular theme, in one of the Indian cities. The CCPI was officially formed in 2007.
Currently, the organization’s members include Catholic priests, brothers, sisters, and lay people.
The members are trained in psychological sciences and are committed to deepening their professional knowledge and skills. They collaborate and network in offering psychological training and services in different parts of the country. They also promote research in the field of psychology.
Speaking on “Technology crimes and strategies for protection, cybercrime expert, Sebastian Edassery, director of Deloitte India in Bangalore, shared how so many ways the use of technology for communications can be dangerous as personal information are known to fraudsters, and how to protect oneself.