Health & Medicine

Lecturers from Walailak University’s School of Nursing have designed a course, "Love language & psychological approach to take care of yourself and those around you.”  It focuses on bringing knowledge into the community to take care of children, youth, the elderly, bed-bound patients and those who suffer from mental health problems and depression in order to strengthen mental health and reduce suicide rates.

Associate Professor Doctor Saifon Akwarangkoon, lecturer at the School of Nursing, expert in psychiatric and mental health nursing, explains that based on research, children and youth now face a problem of rapidly transitioning age development. The rapid changes of media, technology, society and the environment cause more risks and mental health problems, especially depression, self-harm and suicide. In the community there are adults who suffer from work stress and unemployment during the COVID-19 situation, and there are elderly people who live alone facing depression and suicide as well.

Depression is a major public health problem of people around the world, including Thailand. When measured by the number of years lost due to disability and illness, depression is the number one cause of loss for Thai women and 3rd for Thai men and is the leading cause of suicide.

In such a state, “caring for the mind” can bring positive energy from children and youth to care for the elderly in order to relieve depression. As part of the exchange, the elderly people have life experience to share with children. Moreover, adults do not have to worry about taking care of children and the elderly, therefore they can work and take care of the family to the fullest. Connecting love language by psychological techniques is a key link that can help all ages take care of each other, passing through problems together. It is a more meaningful approach to changing, thriving, and flourishing than mere material changes. It is the building of positive relationships that underpin the development of strong individuals, families and communities.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Saifon says that the School of Nursing and network partners worked on taking care of the mind by focusing on growing together. It started with a workshop for children and youth to learn to love themselves and to be able to connect the love language through psychological techniques in order to pass on benefits to family members and communities. The approach integrates two tools, Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages and Virginia Satir's psychological concepts and techniques, to help make human connections more effective. The results of the research showed that mind care of children and youth has meaning and empowerment both within oneself and those around them, including the elderly with depression.

Problems found in the community include suicide, broken families, abandoned children and the elderly, bullying behavior of children and youth, unplanned pregnancy, controversy, substance abuse, lack of inspiration in life and learning, dropping out, and others. These have long-term impacts on the quality of life for both parents and children. Recently, there have been the additional problems of working-age adults suffering from unemployment stress and no income during the COVID-19 situation. Elderly people also face dependence and isolation.

The Clinic for Mind Care (Smile Clinic), the School of Nursing collaboration with the Smile & Smart Center (Walailak University's student supervision system), Nakhon Si Thammarat Primary Educational Service Area Office 4, Ban Thung Kro School, Ban Ton Liap of Tambon Health Promoting Hospital, health service centers in the community area of Village No. 6 and 15, Tha Sala Sub-district, Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and related networks integrate these lessons from the curriculum of the School of Nursing in the course of Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health. The program is developing the competency of nursing students to become facilitators of youth activist to learn to grow within oneself and pass on the techniques to other children, youth and others. The benefits are many, and it is very effective to know this tool from childhood.

The “Love language & psychological approach to take care of yourself and those around you” course is ready for interested parties. For further information, please contact the Clinic for Mind Care (Smile Clinic), Mrs. Ratanakorn Boonklang Tel. 075-672101-2.

Source: https://www.wu.ac.th/th/news/19549

Rewritten from Thai by Uraiwan Angkanawisut