World Book and Copyright Day - 23rd April-2021

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Books are said to be a person’s best friends as when there is no one to guide us, our books are always there to show us the right path in life. They always direct us to follow the moral values and principles of life. Everyone has a book which helped to change one’s life. Books are a great source of knowledge for us and they play an important role in the lives of students. A book never gives wrong advice to its reader and every book we read has a message to learn. In fact, a recent study shows that reading books has a positive impact on the brain.

When we read a book or listen to a story, the brain releases certain harmones that allow us to turn the story into our own idea and experience. This is known as ‘neuro coupling’. The brain releases ‘happy hormone’ and we start a perceiving the story as our own and as a result, all the areas of the brain are activated in this process.

Many of us have special memories of the books that have inspired us, and have learned the profound effect that reading the right book can have at the right moment.  Books have the power to transport us to new worlds and different times, but they can also take us back to the important moments in our own lives. From building your vocabulary to reducing stress, preventing age-related cognitive decline and increasing your ability to empathize, reading books is an easy way to look after your mind and body.

Brief Introduction of World Books and Copyright Day

World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day,  is an annual event organized by the United Nations Educational Scirntific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading , publishing and copyright.

The original idea was of the Spanish writer Vicente Clavel Andrés as a way to honour the author  Miguel de Cervantes, first on 7 October, his birth date, then on 23 April, date of his death. In 1995 UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is also the anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de ka Vega, as well as that of the birth or death of several other prominent authors. (In a historical coincidence, Shakespeare and Cervantes died on the same date- 23 April 1616),  

 ‘Copyright’

Copyright refers to the legal right of the owner of intellectual property. In simpler terms, copyright is the right to copy. This means that the creator of the intellectual property reserves the right to restrict its product from being copied without his/her consent. Under Copyright law, a work is considered as original if it is created using one’s own creativity without any duplication. Copyright is generally restricted to ideas that can be written down in a physical form or are tangible. When a person creates an original work that can be compiled in a physical format, it automatically gets copyrighted and only the creator reserves the exclusive rights to use or transfer the work. In this case, audio-visual work, sound recordings, and musical compositions, books, paintings, etc. can be copyrighted.

UNESCO introduced the event which is now celebrated in over 100 countries. UNESCO and other related global organizations to further the aim select the World Book Capital for a year. Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia, has been chosen to be the World Book Capital in 2021. ‘To share a story’ would be the theme of this year’s World Book and Copyright Day, keeping the pandemic in mind. UNESCO introduced the event which is now celebrated in over 100 countries.

Famous Quotes and Slogans on Books and Reading

′Classic′ – a book which people praise and don’t read.”– Mark Twain

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”– Charles W. Eliot

Take a good book to bed with you books do not snore – Thea Dorn

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.”– J.K. Rowling

“That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”– Jhumpa Lahiri

“A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it; or offer your own version in return.”– Salman Rushdie

“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” – Bill Patterson

“A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors.”– Charles Baudelaire

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”–  Walt Disney

“A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.”– David Mitchell

I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a book - J K Rowling  

“The best books… are those that tell you what you know already.”– George Orwell, 1984

Books Don’t just go with you, they take you where you’re never been – Anonyms

On occasion of World Book Day staffs and students of KAPMI shared few words about Books and Reading  

-Books are to the mind what exercise is to your body.  Books open our minds to worlds which are way beyond our reach, and help our imagination grow. So keep reading and keep growing.  Happy world book day to all of you – Dr. Preethi V Shanbhag

-The wealthiest man is he who always has a book to read. – Prof. Rajendra Chenni

-Good books are the best therapeutic tools, which can heal the distress of mind. Happy World book Day- Dr. Sandhya Kaveri K , KAPMI 

-Books are like our lamp-posts, they inspire us, guide us and show the path. They are the vehicle and the road in our life’s journey. In fact, they are our destination where we get solace and comfort. hence, we should love books. -Prof. M S Nagaraj Rao-KAPMI 

-A Home library is the part of cultural representation of a good home. – Prof. D S Manjunath, KAPMI

-Books are good and loyal friends willing to accompany you wherever you go and give you the kind of help you need.- Sr. Marie Evelyn, KAPMI

-ಜಗತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮನುಷ್ಯನ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಮತ್ತು ಅದ್ಬುತವಾದ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಎಂದರೆ ಅದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ.. ಭೂತ-ವರ್ತಮಾನ-ಭವಿಷ್ಯತ್ ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಜ್ಞಾನವನ್ನು  ಮುಂದಿನ ಪೀಳಿಗೆಗೆ ದಾಟಿಸುವ ಮತ್ತು ಅದರಿಂದ ಪಾಠಗಳನ್ನು ಕಲಿಯುವ ಅವಕಾಶ ನಮಗೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕದಿಂದ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸಾದ್ಯ.. ಇಂತಹ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳು ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಳನು ಬೆಳಗಲಿ ಎಂಬ ಆಶಯದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ವಿಶ್ವ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ದಿನಾಚರಣೆ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.. ಹಾಗೆ ನಾವು ಮರೆಯಲೆ ಬಾರದ ವಿಷಯ ಅಂದರೆ ಎದೆಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ಅಕ್ಷರ ಮತ್ತು ಭೂಮಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ಬೀಜ ಒಂದಲ್ಲಾ ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಫಲ ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ.- ಮಂಜುನಾಥ ಸ್ವಾಮಿ. ಎಸ್, KAPMI

-ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಕೇವಲ ಜ್ಞಾನದ ಕಣಜ ಮಾತ್ರ ಅಲ್ಲ ಒತ್ತಡ ನಿವಾರಣೆಯ ಮಾರ್ಗನೂ ಹೌದು... ಬೇಜಾರಾದಾಗ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಅರ್ಥೈಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ, ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ‌ ಮಾತಿಗೆ ಕಿವಿಕೊಡುವ ಹಿತವಾದ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತನಿದ್ದಂತೆ.- ಸುವರ್ಚಲಾ ಅಂಬೇಕರ್ ಬಿ.ಎಸ್, KAPMI 

-ಮಸ್ತಕ ಬೆಳಗುವ ದೀವಿಗೆಯೇ ಪುಸ್ತಕ.- ಸಂತೋಷ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ಎಸ್. ಜಿ, KAPMI 

-"ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ"  : ಹೊತ್ತ ಕಳೆಸೋ, ಮತ್ತ ಮದವನಿಳಿಸೋ... ಕಣ್ಣ ತೆರೆಸೋ, ಹೃದಯ ಭರಿಸೋ..  ಪಥವ ತೋರೋ.. ದೀವಿಗೆ - ವಿಭಾ ಎಮ್ ಡೊಂಗ್ರೆ.

‘Reading a book is the most effective self-help technique’- Ashwini Dinkar, KAPMI

-Digitalization is never defeat the craze of books! – Shilpa C R, Student, KAPMI

-If your book inspires you to dream more, learn more, read more, become more, you are a leader. - Shreya B K, Student, KAPMI

-ಓದುವುದು ಸುಲಭವಲ್ಲ ಆ ಕಲೆ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಒಲಿಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ! ಒಲಿಯುವುದು ಕೆಲವೇ ಮಂದಿಗಾದರು ಅದನ್ನು ಆಸ್ವಾದಿಸುವ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಆ ಕೆಲವರಲ್ಲೂ ಇರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.ಬದುಕು ಕಲಿಸದ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಪಾಠಗಳಿವೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ,ನೋಡದ ಹೋಗದ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಜಾಗಗಳಿವೆ,ಭೇಟಿಯಾಗದ ಕಾಣದ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಜನರಿದ್ದಾರೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ,ಅಳುವಾಗ ನಗಿಸುವ,ನಕ್ಕಾಗ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಸುವ ಗೆಳೆಯ ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಸಿಗುವವನಲ್ಲ ಹಾಗಾಗೆ, ಹೇಳುವುದು ಓದುವುದು ಸುಲಭವಲ್ಲ ಅದು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಒಲಿಯುವುದಿಲ್ಲ...!ವಿಶ್ವ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ದಿನದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು – ಪ್ರಜ್ವಲ್ ನಾಡಿಗ್ , Student, KAPMI

Ganesha H, Librarian, KAPMI

Sources: Wikipedia, Keepinspiring.me, News18.com, Kvnpr Blog, Google, Pinterest.

MENTAL HEALTH FOR ALL

     

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   “What Mental Health needs is more sunlight, more candor and more unshamed conversation”. -Glenn Close.

    Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

    Mental health is important because it's a vital part of our life and impacts our thoughts, behaviors and emotions. Being healthy emotionally can promote productivity and effectiveness in activities like work, school or care giving. 

Mental health is one of the most neglected areas of public health. Close to 1 billion people are living with a mental disorder, 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol and one person dies every 40 seconds by suicide. And now, billions of people around the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is having a further impact on people’s mental health. 

    Mental health has been hidden behind a curtain of stigma and discrimination for too long. It is time to bring it out into the open. The magnitude, suffering and burden in terms of disability and costs for individuals, families and societies are staggering. In the last few years, the world has become more aware of this enormous burden and the potential for mental health gains. We can make a difference using existing knowledge ready to be applied. We need to enhance our investment in mental health substantially and we need to do it now.

    Every year WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY is observed on October 10. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, only forty percent of adults and fifty percent of youth receive the medical help they need. Even though mental illness is common and can affect anyone, there is still a great stigma attached. This stigma creates reluctance and shame in seeking help. The acceptance and understanding of mental illnesses has come a far way from where it used to be, but improvements can, and should still be made.

    Mental illnesses should not be thought of any differently from physical illnesses. In fact, I believe the two are inseparable. Because the whole body is connected and interwoven, the two cannot be separated. The brain is an organ just like everything else in the body and can be hurt like everything else. When the brain is ill, it is not isolated in just the brain, but instead affects the whole body and the overall wellness. Substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide are very common and dangerous in those with mental illnesses. Nurturing our mental health can also help us combat or prevent the mental health problems that are sometimes associated with a chronic physical illness.

    Mental illness should not be something to be ashamed about or thought of differently. When mental illness is treated equally to other illnesses, more people will have the courage to get help and better their lives.

MENTAL HEALTH IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS:

    Mental health problems affect about 1 in 10 children and young people. They include depression, anxiety and conduct disorder, and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.

    Alarmingly, however, 70% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.

    The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.

Things that can help keep children and young people mentally well include:

• Being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.
• Having time and the freedom to play, indoors and outdoors.
• Being part of a family that gets along well most of the time.
• Going to a school that looks after the well being of all its pupils.
• Taking part in local activities for young people.
  

Other factors are also important, including:

• Feeling loved, trusted, understood, valued and safe.
• Being interested in life and having opportunities to enjoy themselves.
• Being hopeful and optimistic. 
• Being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed.
• Accepting who they are and recognizing what they are good at
• Having a sense of belonging in their family, school and community.
• Feeling they have some control over their own life. 
• Having the strength to cope when something is wrong and the ability to solve problems.

 MENTAL HEALTH FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS:

    Mental health is related to the personality as a whole of that person. Thus, the most important function of school and education is to safeguard the mental health of boys and girls. Physical fitness is not the only measure of good health alone. Rather it’s just a means of promoting mental as well as moral health of the child. The two main factors that affect the most are feeling of inferiority and insecurity. Thus, it affects the child the most. So, they lose self-initiative and confidence. This should be avoided and children should be constantly encouraged to believe in themselves.

MENTAL HEALTH FOR WOMEN:

    In the past decade, the roles of men and women have changed drastically in the society. India is no exception. Today, we can easily find a woman running a house, handling chores, managing kids and still being able to ace her job. But the matter of concern is not the various unconventional fields where women are seen more often, the problem is the number!

    Women face issues such as improper crèches where they cannot reliably keep their children, unskilled domestic help, lack of proper transportation to commute within the city, irregular working hours leading to inability to develop a work-life balance, less remuneration compared to men in the industry, and above all the lack of safety.

    Most often, women go for a sabbatical during or post-pregnancy or due to stress or marriage. When she decides to return to work, she may find difficulty in finding a job since many workplaces have the notion that a sabbatical may have compromised her efficiency and might have incapacitated her productivity.

    Sometimes, the expectations from her family members or in-laws to look after the household and kids coax her to priorities her marriage and family over her dreams. Thus, women choose to leave their jobs and become homemakers.

MENTAL HEALTH FOR EMPLOYEES:

    For many of us is a major part of our lives. It is where we spend much of our time, where we get our income and often where we make our friends. Having a fulfilling job can be good for your mental health and general wellbeing.

    Work is good for mental health but a negative working environment can lead to physical and mental health problems. Harassment and bullying at work are commonly reported problems, and can have a substantial adverse impact on mental health.

    Good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive.

MENTAL HEALTH FOR OLD AGE PEOPLE:

    More than 20% of people aged 55 or older may have some type of mental health problem. Biological changes may interfere with the brain's functioning, social changes can lead to isolation or worthlessness and somatic diseases are often important contributory factors too. Mental disorders may exacerbate the symptoms and functional disabilities associated with medical illnesses and increase the use of healthcare resources, length of hospital stay and overall cost of care.

    Mental health problems can have a high impact on an older person's ability to carry out basic daily living activities, reducing their independency, autonomy and quality of life.

    As we age, we face many changes and many sources of stress – we are not as strong as we used to be, illness is more of a problem, children move away from home, people we love die, we may become lonely, and eventually we must give up our jobs and retire. Coping with all these changes is difficult, but it can be done. The keys to coping include your long-term lifestyle, your ability to expect and plan for change, the strength of your relationships with surviving family and friends, and your willingness to stay interested in and involved with life.

    The promotion of healthy ageing in all its aspects is an important role for all societies. Early recognition, diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders that are common in old age are important to prevent suffering and disabilities. Care for older adults with mental illnesses requires sensitivity and observational and relational skills in order to help the older person achieve and maintain the highest possible level of functioning and wellbeing. Those who care for older people should always be protected and supported in their tasks everywhere. All these interventions can be efficiently realised in primary care.

    All these actions together can certainly contribute to better mental health in old age.

 “Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you are going.”

-Noam Shpancer

This Article bagged first place in essay writing competition Organized by the Dept. of Psychology, Kateel Ashok Pai Memorial College, Shivamogga  on the occasion of World Mental Health Day 2020.

Prabha M.N.

Biology Lecturer at  Sri Aurobindo PU(I)  College, 

Javalli. Shivamogga

Pursuing PGDPCG, MEFFMH, Shivamogga