Chennai – A three days international conference on ‘ Mental Health: A Holistic Approach’ organised by Madras School of Social Work at Dept. of Psychology concluded here today.While delivering the valedictory address as chief guest Professor (Dr.) Madan Mohan Goel, Former Vice Chancellor known as Founder Needonomics School of Thought justified the need for understanding, analysing and interpreting the mental health as necessary and sufficient condition for positive sense of wellbeing for the entire population. Dr Priscilla S delivered the welcome address and presented a citation on the achievements of Prof. M.M. Goel.

To protect health from mental illness, we need to understand, analyse and interpret the psychological, socio-economic and behavioural factors and change the looks, actions and words (LAW) to be called the law of the land and the real ‘Youthquake’with needonomics said Prof. Goel.

To emphasize on positive dimension of mental health, let me quote the definition of health by World Health Organization (WHO) ‘Health is state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,’ explained Prof Goel.

The care givers for poor mental health need to do acting with empathy (not sympathy). We need to teach wellbeing even in poor mental health condition by positive attitude, believes Prof. Goel.

For inclusion and retention of mentally ill persons in the family, community and society, we have to stop discrimination against them, believes Prof Goel.

We must think and rethink out- of –the –box solutions for making people careful and useful as street SMART ( simple, moral,action-oriented, responsive and transparent) stakeholders who are otherwise careless and useless-the challenge for inclusive growth in India, told Prof. Goel .

We have to work together for risk reduction of mental illness by positive attitude, emphasized Prof. Goel.