A Seminar on Meditation Took Place at TNMU’s Mental Health Center

On October 17, 2024, the Mental Health Center of Ternopil National Medical University hosted a thematic event titled “Mental Health Through Meditation: Scientific Approaches and Practice”. The Psychiatry, Narcology, and Medical Psychology Department organized the event.

This seminar aimed to deepen knowledge about meditation as a tool for improving mental health and self-regulation. With the assistance of the department’s researchers, all attendees had the opportunity to learn about scientific studies confirming the positive impact of meditation on the brain, emotional state, and behavior. The speakers explained how regular meditation can help reduce anxiety levels, manage stress, and enhance concentration and emotional resilience.

The first speaker was an internship doctor Andrii Chaika, who presented a historical overview of the origins and development of meditation and introduced the terminology used in Hindu philosophy.

Another lecturer, Associate Professor of the Psychiatry Department Volodymyr Bilous, familiarized the audience with the neurobiology of meditation. During his presentation, he explained the anatomy of the brain structures involved in meditation and why meditation reduces anxiety.

Internship doctor Dariia Oreshchenko organized a meditation session for the attendees, allowing them to experience its effects personally.

The event was an important step in promoting and educating about mental health care among TNMU students.

Participants were allowed to try meditation techniques suitable for individuals with varying levels of experience and learned how to integrate these techniques into everyday life to maintain mental balance.

The next Mental Health Center meeting will occur on November 14, 2024. It will be dedicated to “Looking into the Abyss: A Doctor’s Emotional Experience in Dealing with Suicidality.”